Never going to be the same
by Tensleep
Summary: Another 'what if' from Tensleep. This time The curtis' have an uncle...and things are definitely changing.
1. The Will

Hey everybody! I thought I would brighten your lives by starting up a new story. This will not be taking away from the others, but it's adding something to my writer's boredom. Summer school is going good, but I need to write as much as possible or I will go insane. I'm crazy enough as it is. Enjoy 

Dedication: This goes out to The Goddess of Sarcasm who is leaving me for three weeks! I will go crazy! Africa is like 11 hours ahead! It's hard enough dealing with 7! Oh what a world! Enjoy this one Chocolate bar!

Disclaimer: I own everyone I point out, other than that I own nothing and S.E Hinton owns the Outsiders.

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Darry's POV 

"What?" I asked noticing the shock in my voice

"Just as I said, Darrel, your parents' will is specific." The Aging man sympathized with me, but by the tone in his voice there was nothing he could do

I couldn't believe this! My parents had been dead for two days and I already had to meet with their lawyer over some will I didn't even know they had. I'm not surprised I didn't know about it when they hadn't updated it since Ponyboy was born. I could handle that. It was a smart thing for them to have one, but what was inside shocked the hell out of me.

"Would you read that again please, Mr. Allan?" I asked just to make sure I wasn't hearing things.

"In the event of the death of Mr. Darrel Shaynne Curtis Sr. and Mrs. Elanor Irene Murry-Curtis their children; Darrel Shaynne Curtis Jr., Sodapop Patrick Curtis and Ponyboy Michael Curtis and all their assets are to be taken care of by Mr. Jason Collin Curtis Jr. He is listed as the executor of this will and the boys' legal guardian. In the event of his death, we are to refer to his will," Mr. Allan said reading it carefully

"I'm 20 now! I can take care of them!" I argued

"It would have to go to court and your brothers would end up in a boys home until it was decided," Mr. Allan sighed tiredly "The State of Oklahoma has a high respect for wills."

"We have never met our uncle. All I know about him is that he and my father fought a lot. Dad wouldn't even speak of him let alone leave him anything! How can he be the executor?" I asked still not believing any of this

"The will was last updated little less than 14 years ago. Things change but this is a legally binding paper," Mr. Allan explained "Do you remember what your uncle and father were fighting about?"

"No."

Truthfully I couldn't remember. I don't even think I was born at the time. All I know was that he was a person my father didn't like to talk about and plain avoided the topic of Jason Curtis. I don't even think we had a picture of him anymore. My mother once said they were close until they started fighting, but it wasn't much to go on.

"Well, we should get a hold of him before the funeral. He may like to pay some final respects to his brother. Until then all we can do is wait. I've arranged for the state Child services not to separate you three until we hear a final decision from your uncle." Mr. Allan looked me in the eyes "Everything will turn out ok, son. I knew your father and uncle well once and if he turned out to be half the man your father was, you three are in good hands."

"Thank you, Mr. Allan," I said shaking his hand even though I wasn't happy

I left the tiny office loosening my tie. James Allan was a down to earth guy who'd known my grandparents at one point. He was the type of guy my parents trusted, but he was getting into his sixties and I knew he wasn't going to be in the business much longer. When he told me to come down for the reading of their will I'd expected him to just be following formalities, like his law degree said he had to, and to say everything would go to us and we could try to go on with our lives. The last part was going to be difficult, but it looked near to impossible now.

I drove home without the radio and just thought. A man I had never met was responsible for my kid brothers. I didn't know what would be happening to them. If our uncle turned out to be a drunk or even dead...some other stranger could be responsible for them. I didn't like that thought.

I came in the house to find it absolutely quiet. I hadn't expected it to be lively, but I hadn't expected it to be this quiet. I walked into the kitchen to find Soda doing the dishes.

"Where's Ponyboy?" I asked

"He's sleeping," Soda answered drying his hands "What did Mr. Allan want?"

I sighed and told Soda what Mr. Allan had told me. He looked confused and I didn't blame him.

"We have an uncle?" he asked a bit surprised

"Apparently," I confirmed

"Well, at least we're not alone," he said looking for some hope in the situation

"We weren't alone this morning when it was just the three of us," I snapped still not sure about everything that had happened

"We'll be ok, Darry." Soda smiled slightly "They wouldn't want us to be sad. If they didn't want this to happen, they would have changed it. Like you said, they did update it when Pony was born."

Soda made more sense than I gave him credit for some days. They would have changed it if they didn't think he was the right person. I just wished I knew something more beyond what I did now.

"Yeah. We'll be just fine, Little Buddy."

-/-/-/-/-

"Two-Bit, get out of the fridge," I sighed tiredly

"Hell, you got more food in there than even I can eat." He grinned and I wondered if he was right

"I wonder about that," Soda said in all seriousness

Ever since the word got out our parents died every person who knew them seemed to figure that we needed as much food as they could give us. To be honest, I was glad we had Two-Bit to eat some of it before it backed up on us. I'd hate to throw anything out, especially with the money we had in our budget right now. Paying for the funeral tomorrow drained it more than I would even admit to Soda. Dad's life insurance was gone and most of the savings they had. We could always dip into my college fund money, if we needed to, but I didn't think it would get that far. It had only been three days. We could survive a bit longer.

"What I don't get is where you put it all. By now you should be the same size as a big old elephant," Steve said with no hint of humor in his voice

"He'd look more like Mickey mouse with the elephant ears," Ponyboy put in dryly

"What do you think Dally?" Steve asked

"Nah. Elephants and mice have brains." Dally smirked half heartedly

"Good to know you guys are my friends," Two-Bit commented sitting down in front of the TV "You'd make some pretty good enemies."

I just shook my head. I was glad the guys were such good actors. I knew Soda and Pony must feel just as depressed and frustrated at the situation as I was, but these acts were helping. At least they kept our minds off of it for a little while. It was a little scrap of normal; a piece of glass from a broken mirror. It wasn't much, but it gave us something to look at.

The phone rang and everyone shot up at once to answer it. Steve managed to tackle Soda, I couldn't tell if it was intentional from the way they were both sprawled across the floor, before he could reach it, both of them rolling into Two-Bit. Dally and Pony just watched the scene while Johnny quietly slipped into the kitchen. I guess I was the only one who was going to get the phone at this rate.

"Hello?" I answered waving at the guys to be quiet

"Darrel? It's James Allan," the other voice answered

"Yes, hold on a moment please," I said turning towards the guys who were still making more noise than a pack of hyenas. "Hey, keep it down. Mr. Allan's on the line."

There was instant silence apart from the TV. Two-Bit moved to turn that off and I was appreciative. They all knew who Mr. Allan was and they all knew I was expecting this call.

"Mr. Allan?" I asked to make sure he was still there

"I hope I wasn't disturbing anything."

"No, nothing at all. Just the TV," I answered wanting him to go on

"I managed to get a hold of your uncle's number and address today," he revieled very calmly -- I don't know how he could be. My heart was beating hard -- "I thought it would be better if you boys gave him a call and explained."

"Yeah." I nodded "I'll get a pen."

I managed to find one and copied down what he said. He was going slowly so I could get it all and I understood why, but I was anxious to talk to my brothers and my...uncle. It was almost a foreign word to me. I'd never had any reason to use it. Until yesterday I considered my parents to both be only children.

"Good luck, son," Mr. Allan offered

"Thank you, Mr. Allan," I sighed, hanging up

I turned to the group to see every eye on me. They were waiting for me to say something and it hit me then how much of the leader I was. I guess I was the oldest and it was me that had to be strong. I was glad I had all these muscles; even if these problems were emotional I would have some support.

"Mr. Allan wants us to call him," I supplied

"Wow," Soda breathed and Pony looked a bit anxious

"What will you say to him?" Ponyboy asked

"I honestly don't know. He doesn't know what happened yet unless he follows the Oklahoma news papers," I added

It was going to be hard to tell him the story. Hell, it was hard to get the story straight in my own mind. My parents walked out the door and never came back. They would never come back. They're just two shells lying in the morgue at the hospital. I know they'd been moved to the funeral home already, but that was the image in my mind and I didn't like it one bit.

It was going to be a hard couple of days.

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Well there you have it! It was bit short but first chapters always are. Hope everyone enjoyed

Any comments at all are welcome, flames are accepted.

See ya in the funny papers! Tens


	2. Cold coffe and Cold thoughts

Hey everybody! Well, I got bored again, so I decided to update. I figure this will be a last one for a while because I have other stories I can't ignore, as well as math. One more week tomorrow and no more hell, other wise known as summer school. Oh well, I can tell you now that I won't land myself there again. Ok, I ramble enough on a regular basis not to keep you all bored to tears by it. On with the Story! 

Disclaimer: I own anyone S.E Hinton doesn't. That makes me feel special!

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Darry's POV

I stared at the cup of coffee in front of me, now gone long cold, not even seeing it. I wasn't up to drinking it and I was more than willing to watch it cool. I'd had the palm of my hand pressed to my forehead since I sat down a few hours ago and I know it's going to leave a red mark when I do decide to move. I just couldn't bring myself to it. I just wanted to sit and feel nothing for as long as possible. I just didn't want to remember.

The funeral was today and I knew there would be no more pretend and no more real smiles for a while. It hadn't really sunk in yesterday. Yesterday we could put on plays and wrestle for the phone, but not today. Today we all knew we would never see them alive or dead again. It was far from a comforting thought. It had been far from a comforting day.

I had stood there, tall and strong for Soda and Pony and everyone around me during the whole service. Soda had broke down and bawled harder than I'd ever seen him while Pony whimpered from time to time between silent tears. It was the worst day of my life, even worse than when we heard they died. Today it was final. No return and I was absolutely helpless. I couldn't move to comfort either of my brothers in fear I would let go of all the control I had and in turn I felt like I had let them down. I just wish there could have been someone there to be strong for me.

It started to get even darker in the tiny kitchen and I raised my head to look out the window. It was still pouring rain and I couldn't help but wonder if someone had planned for the weather to match my mood. If they did, they were doing a pretty good job. I sighed and stood up, just not wanting to be sitting anymore. I wandered around the house aimlessly, not letting myself get comfortable anywhere. I poked my head in Pony and Soda's room. They were both asleep on their beds in their clothing from the funeral. I realized I hadn't bothered to change out of mine. I'd only got as far as loosening my tie and wanting a cup of coffee.

I went to my room and changed into some more comfortable clothes and felt just a little more normal. It was going to be a long time before I felt comfortable in this house again, that is if we lived in this house long enough for that.

I reached a hand into my pocket and pulled out the piece of paper I had written all the information about my uncle on. I hadn't bothered to call before the funeral. For some reason I knew he wouldn't come and he wasn't supposed to. This was our good bye. He'd had his twenty years ago.

I moved to the phone and hesitated. What was I supposed to say to him? 'Hi I'm your nephew and my parents are dead...' That was the start to a great phone call. I considered writing him a letter, but Mr. Allen had meant it when he said the state wouldn't let us be on our own for long. They had called this morning. I couldn't believe how inconsiderate they were and, if I had anything to do with it, neither of my brothers would end up in their hands. I guess it was that thought that finally made me pick up the phone and dial the number. It was a Texan address and I wondered how much this call was going to cost.

"Hello?"

I sat on this side of the phone with nothing to say. I hadn't expected a girl to pick up the phone. She sounded around five years old and I wondered how much about my uncle I really knew. If you want to know the honest truth, I was half hoping no one would answer.

"Hello," I said back "I'm looking for Jason Curtis."

"Yep. Just a minute," she said and I nodded even though I knew she couldn't see me.

I waited in anticipation for a few minutes wondering if I had been forgotten. I got nervous waiting there and I didn't like the feeling. Finally someone else picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

I was even more shocked than when I heard the girl's voice. He sounded like my father. I cleared my throat and tried to think of something to say.

"Is this Jason Curtis?" I asked "Jason Collin Curtis Jr.?"

"I haven't been called that in years," the voice answered "How can I help you?"

"This is Darry..." I trailed off feeling like I was five years old talking on the phone when my parents told me not to

"Darrel's boy?" he asked and I nodded again, remembering he couldn't see me either

"Yes," I answered getting a bit of my usual tone about me

"You'd be getting about twenty now, wouldn't you?" he asked more to himself "How have you been, son?"

"My parents died four days ago." I got right to it

There was silence on the other end for a minute and I wondered if he was waiting for me to say something.

"They were in a car wreck," I went on "The reading of the will was two days ago and the funeral was today."

"I'm sorry," he said dully. "Your parents were good folks, even if your dad and I didn't get along as well as most. They went too damn soon."

"That's why I'm calling."

I was prepared to get the story straight in my mind for the first time since it happened and tell him at the same time, but it was hard. How do you sum up everything? I couldn't, so I told him everything. He listened quietly while I went on. I felt a lot better when I told him, but I wondered how I could tell a stranger all that and not one of my friends. Maybe it was just easier to tell someone you couldn't see and could hang up with at any time.

"So you have two brothers?" he asked

"Yes." I expected him to ask about anything else "Sodapop and Ponyboy."

"He really used those names?" he asked

"Yeah." I grinned in spite of myself

"I remember when he thought those up. He was a unique guy," Jason commented

We were quiet for another minute and I got the feeling he was just as nervous as I was.

"Do you all still go to school?" He asked to make conversation

"Soda is in High school and Pony will be joining him next year because he got bumped up a year in school," I explained

"You in college yet?" he asked

"No. We didn't have the money and we really don't now." I was still disappointed in not going, but there was no changing that.

"Listen, I'll give Mr. Allan a call and get some things straightened out," he said and I realized again this was long distance "I'll try and call you back tonight before I leave."

"Ok," I agreed wondering where he could be going and how he knew Mr. Allan was Dad's lawyer

"I truly am sorry," he offered again and I put on the front I'd worn all day

"It's gonna be hard," I sighed

"We'll figure something out," he stated briskly "Then we'll talk."

We were both silent for a moment before he hung up the phone and I was left alone in the living room holding the receiver. He hadn't even said goodbye. Maybe he wasn't that much like my father after all. Then again my father was a very unique person and I knew there could never be two of him out there.

-/-/-/-

Jason's POV

I had hung up the phone on Darrel...Darry. His father was Darrel and always would be in my mind. I never thought anything like that would happen to my hard headed big brother, but he was gone and I had three nephews, two of which I didn't even know about. Damn life throws you some curve balls, but this was just something I didn't need. I had to be on a plane in six hours out to the west oilfields to do the analysis my highly paid geophysicists were supposed to be doing. It was hard to find good people these days. Wally Hart was about the best geophysicist I'd ever seen, but he went and fell in love and he and his brother pulled out of the company. It was simpler when the company was a three man show and I didn't have to pay anyone...

I caught myself there. Here I was thinking about how hectic my life was and how inconvenient this all was for me. Those boys had lost their parents and I couldn't even have gotten up there for the funeral today, if I wanted to. I really did want to help them, though. I thought twenty years ago I had signed off from that family, but if I was listed on their will, I guess you couldn't leave everything behind. I picked up my phone and called the office to have my secretary find Mr. Allan's number. I kept every number I ever got and it came in handy, especially when the past came calling. I think I even had Darrel's number in Tulsa hanging around. I know that house probably wasn't theirs anymore, but I still had it.

"Mr. Allan? J.C Curtis calling," I said knowing only one way to deal with lawyers, even elderly ones

"How are you Jason?" he asked in a tone of voice that held nothing but irritation

"Not bad, except for the fact I just got off the phone with my nephew." I started walking around with the phone

"I was hoping he would call you," he replied dully

I'll bet he was. He didn't want to talk to me, if he could help it. Last time he and I talked he'd gone home and had a heart attack. Served him right, if you ask me, but not many would see it that way.

"Well, he did and I was shocked by the news to say the least." I leaned against my desk "How are things looking for them?"

"You really want to know?" he asked

"I asked, didn't I?" I replied wanting to cut to the chase

"They have little money and the State wants to separate them. If you don't take them in, they will be separated because you have no other family. Your mother died about ten years ago," he added in case I didn't know, "If by some miracle Darrel can become their legal guardian, he'll have to work two jobs to keep his brothers in school and even then he won't be making enough with their current bills unless Sodapop drops out and finds a full time job. To put it bluntly, if you don't support them, they won't make it."

Allan sounded like a damn preacher. It couldn't have been that bad for them, but I couldn't help but wonder if it was. I'd known Mom was gone, but I didn't think she was the last. I guess I thought wrong.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with them? I can't just move them down to Houston. They've had enough things happen to disrupt their lives in the last week," I sighed and looked out the window where my bags were sitting on the front porch, waiting for the car to come and take them to the airport

"Have you considered coming up here to take care of them?" he asked

"If I could, I would. I can't just pick up in Tulsa where I left off. Things have changed too much," I said remembering the past "I have a company to run and people here I can't leave behind."

"Well, Jason. This is something you owe your brother," he reminded and I wanted to hit him

"I owe him nothing, but I owe those boys something," I snapped "How long would it take for them to pack up their things and sell their house?"

I was doing some quick thinking and I knew it surprised Allan.

"Not long," Allan sounded like he was thinking, too "Maybe a week to get everything together. Are you seriously considering moving those boys?"

"It looks to be the only thing I can do right now."

"You'd better plan on taking care of those boys and find them good schools. Because if you aren't and you plan on moving those boys..."

"Don't get your heart going." I shook my head. "I'm well off and I can pull strings for them down here I couldn't in Tulsa."

"It's a decent thing you're doing, but those boys won't like it one bit," Allan warned

"I'll talk to Darry again and let him know what I think is best," I replied looking at the other number I'd had my secretary find "I have to head out of town for a few days around six tonight. So we'll have to talk about it now and come to a decision when I come back. There's just no way around it."

"You do what's best for those boys, Jason, not for you," he said sternly

"Don't worry, you old buzzard," I sighed hanging up

That man had always made me mad and it hadn't changed in twenty years. Of course I was going to do what was best for them. I wasn't a twenty year old kid anymore and I had nothing over the horizon. What did I have to loose?

Just by listening to Darry talk this afternoon I could tell he was bright and a lot like his father. I knew he could make something of himself, if he had the chance. If I let him take over this situation, he sure as hell wasn't going to go anywhere. I ran a hand through my hair. I'd like to see him get the education I and his father missed out on.

I know Darrel was happy with his life. He had a wife and three children and all he ever expected out of it, but he worked hard all the time. I'd signed on with the company and got rich the easy way, but I wonder some days what it would have been like to have worked for a living and gone to college. I know I wouldn't have appreciated all this if I wasn't in it from the beginning. I guess I had some hard work of my own.

Things were changing and the past was nipping at my heels again. I couldn't get away from it this time. Life was never going to be the same.

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Well, chapter two. I finally got around to changing the spelling of Darrel. The computer was not in my good graces by changing all of them to Darryl. Stupid pieces of tin. Anyways, that wasn't as long as I was hoping it would be but the next one will be longer I'm sure.

Well any comments at all are welcome and flames are accepted but only if they are well written and real nasty.

See ya in the funny papers! Tens


	3. The other half

Ok after an eventful weekend I am back and I have less than 24 hours until I go back to school so I am trying to get this up. Well without further adieu I say we get on with the show!

Disclaimer: I own the other half of the Curtis family and S.E. Hinton owns the Outsiders.

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Darry's POV 

I officially didn't like plane rides. The flight attendants told us it was a short flight, but it had seemed like forever to me. I guess I was dreading what I would find on the ground. I'd packed up my life and the lives of my brothers because an uncle I'd never met told me to. Then I'd gotten on a plane and said goodbye to Tulsa. Now I was about to land somewhere I had never been before and there would be no where familiar. I just wasn't sure if anything was right anymore. Life as I knew it was disappearing and I was helpless to stop it.

"Where do we go Darry?" Pony asked when we got off the plane

"I don't know," I answered looking around at the people who where in the terminal to greet the oncoming arrivals.

I didn't see Jason anywhere and that worried me. He new we were coming and he knew we had no way to find our way around Huston if he didn't show up. I walked over to the baggage claim and Soda and Pony followed. I was worried about Soda. He had been un-normally quiet since we'd said good bye to the gang. I know he'll miss those guys, I will too and so will Ponyboy, but there was no way around it. We collected the bag each of us had brought, having put the rest on a moving truck like Jason had told us to, and walked towards the exit.

"Where is he?" I muttered to myself feeling tired and frustrated by this point

"She might know," Soda said pointing out a girl with a sign that read 'CURTIS' at her feet in bold letters

She had light brown hair and looked about 16 or 17. She was flipping through a magazine and looked bored to tears. She had on a pair of blue jeans and a jean jacket too. I guess that was the fashion down here or something because a lot of people seemed to be wearing it. She looked up when we came over and smiled.

"You must be the ones I'm waiting for," she greeted putting the magazine back and picking up her sign

"Yeah. I'm Darr-"

"You're Darrel, he's Sodapop and that has to be Ponyboy," she said looking at us in turn "J.C. told me as much about you as he knew and I'm a good guesser."

"A very good guesser," Soda muttered

"Well, shall we get going?" She asked and I nodded

"Where's Jason?" I asked as we walked

"He got held up and I wasn't doing much so I told him I'd come and get you." She shrugged "He'll be back tomorrow sometime. He's anxious to meet all of you."

I couldn't help wondering if that was anxious excited or the same anxious nervous that I'd been feeling the whole trip.

"By the way." she turned as we reached the parking lot "I'm River."

It was about an hour later that River finally pulled up in front of a ranch house outside of the city. It had grown dark by then and I had the feeling she wasn't trying to take the scenic route, but she gave us the grand tour all the same. If Soda had have been in better spirits, I think they would have got along well. She pointed out every building and did the talking the whole drive. I guess my brothers were in their thoughts just like I was in mine. Being as tired as I was didn't help things, but it didn't make things worse either.

"Well, here we are." she smiled again and I wondered if she was just trying to be nice or if she was just a cheerful person.

"It's nice," I commented not really being able to tell in the dark

"You'll get the grand tour tomorrow," she informed us leading the way into the house "Are y'all hungry?"

Soda and Pony shook their heads and I followed suit. She shrugged taking off her shoes in the entryway. I took off mine and motioned for Soda and Pony to do like wise.

"Well, to the right is the dining room," she explained going down the hall "To the left you have the door to J.C's office. It'll usually be closed, but no one cares anyways. Then you have the stairs and down the hall and to the right is the kitchen, to the left the living room and straight on through is some stairs to the bottom level."

She was still talking as she headed up the stairs and we followed. It was a pretty big house by the sounds of it. Jason had really made something for himself, but I couldn't help but wonder if we would ever fit in here.

"J.C's room is this one," she indicated a door to our right "There's a bathroom and a guest room then J.C said you three should pick out your own rooms."

River went and opened the doors of three rooms and stood waiting for us to pick patiently. I looked over at Soda and Pony who were waiting for me to make the first move. I sighed and picked one across the hall from the other two. It didn't matter to me what it looked like or how big it was or anything like that. It was a room. Soda and Pony picked ones for themselves and joined River and I in the hall. She looked between the three of us and a look of realization came over her.

"So I should show you the rest of the house, unless you want to turn in for the night..." she trailed off

"I think I'll turn in," I said looking at the clock on the wall. It was nearly ten and it had been a long day

"I'm tired, too," Soda stated and Pony nodded

"Well, night then."

She'd barely said that before heading back down the stairs leaving us standing in the hall not knowing what to do next.

"Night, Darry. Night, Soda," Pony said looking unsure of himself

"Night," Soda and I echoed and he shut his door behind him

Soda sighed and turned towards his own door

"Night, little buddy," I said and he smiled, nodding in return.

I stood in the hall for another couple of minutes until the lights under their doors shut off and I knew they were both asleep. I retreated to my own room, thinking it wasn't so bad. The house was nice, Huston was interesting and we were out of the city. Pony had always wanted to live in the country and this would be good for him. Now, if I could only get him to quit smoking.

I finally went to bed, exhausted and a little less worried than I was a few hours ago. I still had to meet Jason and talk to him about how things were going to go from now on. This was his house, not mine and he was the one responsible for my brothers now. All I could do was sit back and make sure things went well, but I wanted my voice in there, too. I was more than old enough to be on my own, but Jason had insisted on all three of us and that was the way things were going to be. I finally fell asleep thinking on the things I left behind and the things I wanted from life now.

The next morning I woke up early, even earlier than when I usually did, and watched the sun peak through the gaps in my curtains for a while. I just couldn't sit around in bed and I wouldn't hide in this room all day. I finally decided to go down stairs and see if anyone else was up. I regretted not asking River if anyone else lived here or what she did for Jason, but I guess I had to find out a few things for myself. I wandered down stairs and made my way to the kitchen taking in the hard wood floor and the job done on the walls and the ceiling.

"'Morning,"a boy greeted from the table and I jumped. I hadn't expected anyone else to be up

"'Morning," I returned standing awkwardly in the door way

The kitchen was huge with hardwood counters and new appliances. The table had eight chairs around it and a pot of coffee sitting in the middle. The boy at the table had dark hair and gray eyes. He looked maybe older than Soda, but that was stretching it. I couldn't tell how tall he was or what kind of a build he had in his baggy T-shirt, but he looked pleasant enough.

"Coffee?" he offered

"Yeah, sure," I accepted coming into the kitchen

He handed me a cup and poured the steaming liquid into it. I drew a chair across from him and we were both silent for a bit. He yawned tiredly on occasion and I just sipped the coffee. He finally gave me an appraising look.

"I'm Rain," he said offering his hand

"Darry," I answered shaking his hand

"So how was your first night?" he asked casually

"It was fine." I didn't elaborate

"Took me a while to get used to this place," he commented "But you eventually do."

I nodded and we sat in silence again, but it didn't last long.

"Rain." I nearly jumped again when a little voice broke the silence

"'Morning, Squirt." he smiled setting a little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes on his lap

"Who's that?" she asked looking at me with wide eyes

"Why don't you ask him?" Rain yawned again and she buried her face in his shirt and shook it vigorously "Come on, Summer."

She looked at me with one eye from Rain's shirt and I smiled at her. She buried her entire face again and I frowned. I had no idea how to handle little kids and I was a little uncomfortable with her acting the way she was. I wondered if I was even intimidating to little kids now.

"She normally isn't shy," Rain explained taking another sip of coffee "But I guess when you turn twelve you turn shy."

"I'sfife," she muttered from his shirt

"What was that?" he asked smiling

"I'm five," she said clearly looking him in the eye

"Ok." he smiled

"I'm hungry," she whined

"I thought you said you were five?" Rain smiled and she gave him a pouting look "Ok. I'll get you some cereal."

He sat her down on his chair and went through the cupboards. She looked at me with little kid wonder and I guess I returned it with some wonder of my own. Like I said, I don't do little kids; I've never been around little kids.

"Who's you?" she asked

"My name is Darry," I answered pouring more coffee

"I'm Summertime Lora Curtis," she said very quickly and smiled when Rain put a bowl of cereal down in front of her

"Eat all of that," Rain said sternly before handing her a spoon "Well, now that she's happy we'll have some peace."

I nodded, not knowing anything about little kids. She ate happily, humming to herself on occasion while Rain and I finished off the pot of coffee.

"'Morning, boys." I knew that voice

I turned and got my first look at Jason Curtis. I was expecting him to look like my father, but I was mistaken. Instead of my father's face I found one that was a resemblance of him, but younger maybe and with similar features, but nothing like a mirror image. I guess I had my hopes up for nothing. He was my height with brown hair, now graying and bright green eyes. He was smiling and I thought he and Pony looked a lot alike, though there was something in his face that let me know he wasn't as easy going as Ponyboy. I got the feeling if he was mad, he would look mad and you would be afraid of him. And if he was serious, he would be serious and the same for if he was joking around. He was easy to read and I was hoping I didn't get on the mad side of him. He turned his eyes on me and his smile widened. There was something dancing in his eyes and I knew he and my dad were related.

"Daddy!" Summer yelled and ran over to him

"'Morning, Sunshine," he said picking her up and letting her wrap her arms around his neck "Were you good for Rain?"

"Yes, but he's mean," she stated looking at him "He wouldn't let me jump on my bed or anything."

"That so?" Jason looked over at Rain who shrugged "We'll have a jumping contest later." He set her down "How was the flight Darry?"

"I don't like planes," I replied bluntly

"Me either, but it's an occupational requirement," he said sitting down at the table and looking at me more thoroughly "You look a lot like your father when he was your age."

"People swore we were brothers instead of father and son," I explained remembering my dad and feeling my chest fall

"Well people definitely won't say that about me and this knuckle head," Jason said smiling at Rain who nodded his head in agreement

I looked between the two for a moment. I didn't think Jason had children but there are a lot of things I didn't know. For starters, I didn't know why he was coming to breakfast in a business suit.

"How are the Chinese investors?" Rain asked

"Chinese and still our investors," he answered "You never saw six little men fight like that. I even took them out to the rigs and they still argued. I think they thought it was funny or exciting when it hit oil. They all went for a closer look and I laughed when they got covered. All those expensive suits I told them not to wear are garbage now."

Rain smiled and J.C. returned it. It was then I felt like the outsider here. I was the one looking in on their lives and I knew it would take me a long time not to feel like that, if I ever did. These people may have been family, but they were also strangers.

"You're sure they're still your investors?" Rain asked skeptically

"Yeah. They signed all the papers over dinner last night and I double checked it on the plane this morning." Jason nodded "Have you two eaten yet?"

We shook our heads and Jason took of his coat and rolled up his sleeves.

"We'll have to do something about that. How do you eat your omelets Darry?" he asked

"I normally don't," I said trying to think of the last time I had an omelet

"I'll make you something good." he smiled

"Thanks..." I said wondering what I should call him

"Call me J.C. everyone does," he explained

"Not me, Daddy," Summer corrected around a mouthful of food

"Eat your breakfast, Squirt," Rain ordered ruffling her hair

"What do you like better: see food or fish?" ahe asked me

"I don't really like either of them." I shrugged

"Just pick one!" she demanded spooning more food into her mouth

"Fine. Sea food," I sighed and Rain smiled

"See food." Summer opened her mouth showing me the food on her tongue

"I think I like Fish now," I said and she laughed

"Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in," Rain said with a haughty tone watching something behind me

"If The Squirt wasn't sitting there, I would give you some good words to go by in life," River answered tiredly

"I thought I told you to come straight home last night," J.C. said giving her the look I knew meant he wasn't impressed

"I did," she answered sitting down beside Rain and I was wondering what was wrong with my side of the table "Then I left again."

"River," J.C. said looking stern, no nonsense "I warn you about those bars 'cause I was your age once and I remember them well. You disobeyed me, again. You are grounded until school starts."

"Fine." she shrugged pouring some coffee and giving a bitter face when she drank it "Where's the sugar?"

"Here." Rain handed it to her and I watched as she put half the bowl into one cup. Well she and Soda were related. "You know there's only five days until school, right?"

"I am well aware of that, Rainian," J.C. answered coming over to the table with a frying pan in hand "Here ya are, Darry. Your dad used to like 'em this way."

I tried to make heads or tails of what was in there while River and Rain talked about something and J.C. hummed at the stove. It tasted alright, but I couldn't help but wonder if he was trying to poison me. I knew nothing about him except he had three kids and took on three more. Usually you didn't meet people who were willing to do that even for family.

J.C came back to the table with two plates and set them in front of Rain and River.

"J.C?" River asked "When are you gonna buy more cherry pie filling?"

"When you finish off the apple stuff," he answered

"You eat that on your omelets?" I asked realizing what the goop on her eggs was

"Don't you?" She asked

"You're the only person alive that does, Riv," Rain yawned

"Soda puts grape jelly on his," I said

"Never tried that." River looked thoughtful

"I have to make some phone calls, so when Sodapop and Ponyboy get up, introduce them for me and then we'll all sit down and have a talk. Then maybe Brand will choose to grace us with his presence," J.C. instructed wiping his hands on a tea towel

"Can do, J.C," River answered and Rain mock saluted him

He turned to leave and turned back towards us

"I'm glad you're here Darry." He looked earnest and almost a little sad "It's good you are."

I nodded and he left the kitchen leaving the four of us in silence. Calling this place home would definitely be an adventure and I was going to meet it head on. Now I just had to wonder what had caused my dad to shun a man like J.C. and who was Brand?

* * *

Well another chapter down. It took a long time to write surprisingly and I'm sure many were surprised. Well on with the reviews! 

Miss Mango: You do you remember when you wrote this? It was so long ago! Well you're not the last. I love your way with words. I love Darry's POV too. I'm thinking someone else next chapter. Works for me! Delirious must have had an up somewhere and now I have found it. Yeah he is a bit different. He's going to have some fun with the morning paper later on, but yeah. They did. Hahahaha! You know I will have looks in on him/them. Hope you enjoyed chocolate mango.

Hi: Thanks. Hope you enjoyed.

Pens4Life: Thank you. I will definitely be working on that one, but I think I can handle more than one at a time. Hope you enjoyed

Jazzyumbrella: Thanks. Yeah I was hoping people would see it that way. I like showing both sides of the curtain. Hope you enjoyed and thanks again. I always love getting feed back from you.

Berserker Nightwitch: Boy this was a long time ago. Thanks! I have to have some great ideas! Well I usually dream them or in this case I took a look at my life and had some fun. Well here's hoping you enjoy and I'll have something of yours to enjoy soon.

Rock: Your name gave me something to work with in this chapter so feel proud. I know how busy you were then and I am glad you did get around to reading this one. He can be a jerk can't he? Well I think you may have been mildly surprised in this chapter. He is based on Carson so Ill be having some fun with him. Thanks I really enjoy writing Darry. He's just got so much character to work with. Thanks again and hope you enjoyed.

Scarlette7: Thank you. I am quite proud of the idea. I'm glad you think so! That's something I really try to work on. Hope you enjoyed.

Ale Curtis-Carter: Thanks. I am actually hoping to become an author, but I would be a starving artist. Thanks again and hope you enjoy.

Dallas Winston's Girl: Thanks! I really enjoy your kind words. Hope you enjoyed.

Keira: Well I hope this will be another surprise to come home to. I worked on it through a pickle high! Not easy at all. Well I know you will be a little surprised and you're right to be leery. He has his own life and there will be a big period of adjustment that will make or break them. Well I tried to make this chapter lighter while still keeping Darry as the new guy, the guest and all that. The next chapter will be interesting that way I think so I do have somewhat of a plan. J.C. is going to have some fun with the morning paper and other fun stuff. Well hope you enjoyed and that you get a better picture of J.C.

Any comments at all are welcome and flames are accepted as long as they are well written and super nasty.

See ya in the funny papers! Tens


	4. Awckward and out of place

I'm back! Yes, I have to keep busy and I think most of you are going "it's about time!". I agree! Ok, just a few quick things. Soda is bummed out over being there and not home in Tulsa, you know? So if he's not bouncy and fun and all that, you'll know why. Plus he has cousins to contend with. Now that is hard, let me tell you! J.C. is what I like to call an "Absent Professor" Messy as all get out, but absolutely brilliant and funny. So if you're thinking this guy is a kid, you'll see.

Disclaimer: I own everything S.E. Hinton and the American government don't. I feel very rich!

Dedication: To Rock and Kiks who I know I have kept waiting for a whole weekend.

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Darry's POV

We were all sitting in the living room waiting for J.C. He had said he wanted to talk to all of us about something and we were all waiting for that. Rain and River had come up with things to keep themselves amused and the rest of us were watching them. Sure, thumb wars weren't that interesting, but it was keep us busy by watching them.

"Sorry that took so long," J.C. apologized joining us in the same clothes he had worn to breakfast "They struck more oil in the west field."

Rain and River nodded and J.C. went on

"You must be Sodapop and Ponyboy. Lord, you're both your mother's children for sure. I'm J.C.," he introduced, taking both Soda and Pony's hands "Now that we're all acquainted and everyone is in the same room, I thought it would be a good idea to go over the ground rules and maybe discuss them." J.C. sat down and smiled at all of us

We sat there and waited for him to go on and he looked at all of us for some direction. This should be interesting.

"Well, curfew first of all." J.C. almost had a light bulb hanging about his head "Midnight on weekends unless and agreement is arranged."

"Won't work, J.C," River answered very interested in her nails

"We'll make it work, River. Secondly, language. Summer knows too many dirty words as it is." J.C. threw a guy in the corner a dirty look "So everyone will be watching the swearing, right Brand?"

"Whatever you say, J.C," he answered flipping through a magazine

Brand was the eldest of my cousins. It was going to take a long time to think of them that way. He had lighter hair and bright blue eyes. He was almost my height, but had less of a build. He didn't say much, but from the conversation I had over heard he was no match for Dally or Tim Shepard when it came to bad language.

"School nights everyone is home by nine; we have to get you ready for school now that I think on it," J.C. said absently looking where Soda I and Pony were sitting on a couch "Homework comes first, as I will remind Rain and River."

"Can we help it if the football game is on?" Rain asked

"We get it done sooner or later." River shrugged

"And you don't get to bed until after midnight. This year you are doing it when you get home," J.C. said sternly "Feel free to roam the property. If you get to the highway, you've gone far enough. Sometimes there are guests that stay down the hill, so don't mind them and don't do anything cruel to them."

"We have a little too much fun one time..." River muttered

"If you're hungry, help yourself, but clean up your mess. The maid only comes every two weeks and she has a hard enough time getting food off the roof," J.C. said pointedly "Spare key is now under the flower pot for those of you who continuously loose them or don't care to carry them. On that note, no more writing our address on the keys you loose. Guests are great, but I don't want to change the locks, again."

"We didn't know people would actually believe that was the address." Rain shrugged

"What else...?" J.C. asked trying to think of what else was on his mind

"Lots, but we got lives," Brand added from the corner

"Do you three have any questions?" J.C. asked

I looked over at Soda and Pony. I guess they were as on the spot as I was. I had a ton of questions but they were the ones that you ask in private, like what kind of health care they have in Texas or do we need new licenses. Mostly I wanted to know if there were any Soc's or Greasers and if there were where did they fit in? Or should I be asking where do we fit in?

"I think there are a few things you and I should talk about," I said and he nodded

"Ok, now that that's over, any news?" J.C. asked

"I'm legally changing my name when I turn 21," Brand offered

"I mean new news," J.C. prompted

"We're nearly out of food," River pointed out

"Then we'll go shopping," J.C. said making a note of it

"The school phoned," Rain put in, thumbing through a magazine

"What did they have to say?" J.C. looked interested

"They don't talk to me." he shrugged

"Could you two possibly stay in school for a week without skipping?" Brand asked

"Depends on how you phrase that," River answered "Like Rain can keep from sucking his girl friend's face for an hour, but could he?"

River jumped up and ran out of the room with Rain right on her tail. J.C. smiled and shook his head.

"Don't worry about rough housing in here," he said "They do it all the time."

"Then they go and break something," Brand pointed setting his magazine down "If were done here, I got other shit to do."

"Language," J.C. warned as Brand walked out

I got the feeling Brand had very little respect for J.C. and I could see why. From what I had just seen, he ran a house that was more fun and games than anything. He let them do practically anything they wanted from he looks of it. It was almost the exact opposite from where I grew up and it was going to take a long time to get use to.

"Well, I believe you wanted a private word Darry?" J.C. said standing

"Yeah." I stood as well

"Summer has the TV on and Rain and River will run into you before long," J.C. said to Pony and Soda "So have some fun and don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Pony and Soda threw him strange looks and I followed J.C. down the hall to what River had said was his office. I could tell instantly the maid hadn't been there in a while. He had papers everywhere; coffee cups all over the desk, there were toys on the floor, a suit on the couch in there, what looked to be an ashtray full of mints, crooked pictures on the walls and news papers in a stack in the corner. He was worse than Pony and Soda about cleaning their room old.

"Excuse the mess." he wiped some crumbs off a chair and offered it to me. I reluctantly sat down and he moved some toys off the couch and sat to face me. "What did you want to talk about?"

"There are a lot of things." I sighed "School, health care, licensing, social classes..."

"Soda and Ponyboy are enrolled at school with Rain and River already. It isn't a fancy school, but they wouldn't go to any school where they had to wear uniforms and I figured that would be best."

He looked through all the random junk on his table before finding a brochure and handing it to me. It was to Westside High School. I flipped through it while J.C. made some effort to tidy. It looked like a better school than the one they had been going to and I wondered if he had actually remembered when I told him Pony was moved up a year, but I didn't ask. I set the brochure down and J.C. looked up.

"Will it do?" He asked

"It will do fine," I answered

"Good, now we can talk about your education," J.C. said and I was taken aback "What would you like to study?"

"I'm not going to college; I've got to take care of Soda and Ponyboy." I shook my head

"Nonsense," J.C. said looking for something else "You're going to school."

"Shouldn't it be my choice?" I asked wondering where he got off with that

"You had a scholarship when you came out of high school," J.C. replied "If you're anything like my father and his prized son, you're going somewhere, if you get the chance."

I sat there wondering what he meant while he still looked for whatever he couldn't find. He finally stood up and looked under the cushion he was sitting on.

"Ah ha!" he picked up another brochure and handed it to me "University of Huston is where you want to be if you can get enrolled."

I looked it over and he waited patiently for me to finish. I looked up at him and he was smiling.

"I think you'll like it there and if you start next week, you'll be there for the new semester," J.C. instructed

"I can't leave Soda and Pony," I stated shaking myself back to reality

"You won't have to." he moved to a map on the wall where there were numerous red lines and blue marks "Here we are and here is the University. It doesn't take more than half an hour to get there on a bad day. You can live here and go to school, just like the rest of the kids."

I was really hoping he was being honest. I wanted to go to university more than anything and when my parents died that looked nearly impossible. Now I was looking at my own future for the first time in weeks and it actually looked welcoming.

"Business," I said looking up at him "I wanted to go into business."

"Good money there, especially if you couple it with a trade." J.C. nodded and wrote it down "They have a hell of a football team at the university, too."

He went on telling me about everything I could have asked him while I sat there lost in my own thoughts. I was really going to University. I had a future and so did my brothers. It was definitely a surprising day to say the least.

-/-/-/-

Soda's POV

"I drew you a picture," Summer said showing me a page with a lot of colorful scribbles on it

"Thanks." I took it and wondered what I was supposed to do with it

"I drew this one for Daddy," she said showing me another one that was almost identical to the one she had drawn for me

"It's nice."

"I have to draw one for Darry now. He's my friend." she smiled

"Is he now?" I asked smiling

"Yep! He was the firstest cousin I ever metted, so he's special," Summer explained

"Girls!" Rain said stalking into the room "Be thankful you never got a sister."

"I will then," I answered glancing over at Pony who was glued to the TV

"Did you see the picture I made for Daddy?" Summer asked showing it to Rain

"That's nice," he replied barely glancing at it

"Why is you mad at River?" Summer asked

"I am mad at River because she doesn't say nice things about Hillary," Rain said going towards the kitchen

"Him and Hillary smooch and do yucky stuff like that," Summer said looking disgusted

"Don't all girls like boys?" I asked confused

"Rain isn't a boy, he's a brother." Summer said smartly going back to her crayons

I smiled. I had never been around a little kid, especially a little girl. She was cute and made good points, but it was going to take me a while to get used to her. It was going to take me a while to get used to all of this. It sure was a fancy house and pretty big. I never thought anyone would want a maid until I came here. From what I can tell, this place does get cleaned twice a month. Maybe if they did their own cleaning I would have been more comfortable. All this was making me think more and more that we'd never fit in. Our cousins were Socs and we were in the middle of nowhere with them.

"Hey, Pony? I'm going on a walk." I was getting too ancy to sit around anymore "Will you be ok?"

"Yeah, sure," Pony answered still looking at the TV. He was lost in his own thoughts. At least some things didn't change.

I went to the front door and grabbed my shoes from where I had kicked them off the night before. They weren't as nice as the other shoes there, but they would do, especially if this was anything like farm country. The front yard was huge. You could only see space forever. You could have fit the whole neighborhood from back home in here with room to spare and plenty of field to play football on. It wasn't really green grass, but it was grass and it was good enough to play a game of ball on. I walked down the drive way a bit towards a building that was almost like the Slash J barn at home, but a bit smaller. The doors were open so I let myself in.

"Howdy, Sodapop," River greeted from where she was petting a horse's nose "Is Rain with you?"

"No," I answered looking around

"Good. I don't think I can whip him more than twice a day." she smiled and went back to stroking the bay's nose

There had to be 8 horses in there and more tack than anything. It was pretty clean and I wondered sarcastically if all the horses had maids, too.

"I didn't know you had horses," I said still looking around

"J.C. likes 'em and I can't complain." River smiled "Half of these are ones I saw and had to have."

I remembered Mickey Mouse and the girl who just had to have him too. River pet the horse's nose lovingly and I found it easier to think of her as a Soc. Did they even have Socs here?

"Do you like horses?" She asked

"Yeah, I used to work with one that was mine every way but legally," I answered still thinking on Mickey Mouse

"That's cool." River nodded and we were quiet "This is so awkward."

"Yeah," I agreed reaching over to pet a horse.

"And it probably won't get better any time soon," River sighed "Do you want to go for a ride?"

"Nah, I shouldn't go too far with Darry busy and Pony on his lonesome," I answered regretfully

"Suit yourself." River shrugged leaving the barn

I pet the horse's nose again and followed her up to the garage. She glanced at me with a look I couldn't read and gestured me into the garage. It was one of those really big ones, like for tractors or something. It was bigger than the one at the DX and I got homesick right then thinking on it. There wasn't much in there but a couple cars, one of which had the hood open and someone was leaning over it.

"Have you figured out the problem yet?" River asked

"Nope." Brand straightened up "It's just being a stubborn piece of tin at this point. I need to get it down to the garage. Can you drive the tow-truck up here after school on Monday?"

"I'll see how things go. Scott has been such a bastard lately," River sighed "Do you like cars Sodapop?"

"Yep I used to work at the DX back home." I nodded looking over the engine "Cracked radiator?"

"Yep, but that's the least of my problems. If that was it I would patch it and drive it to the garage myself," Brand said wiping his hands on a rag "The transmission is going."

"Luckily for him his kid sister will fix it for him." River grinned at him "Working at the Texaco has its perks."

"What? Like working crap hours for minimum wage? Or was it the fact you're the only girl in history to work there?" Brand asked

"A little of both, O' god of who gets to work at the Texaco." River mock bowed

I smiled thinking they didn't look much alike. River smiled too and Brand ran a finger down her nose leaving a line of grease. She didn't seem to mind.

"Very mature," she said grabbing the end of his t-shirt to wipe her nose

"I thought so." Brand shrugged leaving the garage and River sighed

"When I was a little kid I always wanted to marry him." she grinned "Then grew up and found the ass side of him."

"I heard that!" Brand yelled back and I had to grin

I guess all big brothers were the same, or at least ones that went by Curtis.

-----

Ok, that may be long and pointless but I liked it. It took a heck of a lot longer to write than I intended, but that's ok. I think next will be DV or Passin' Through, so no worries on keeping busy. Ok on to the reviews before I drive some one crazy with my rambling.

Hehe Miss Mango makes me laugh: You are the funniest person on a high and I love it! I thought you would like the dark hair and the grey eyes. That's why I wrote him that way. Ok, you should know by now I have no idea who River Phoenix is, let alone who his sisters are! I know, my spelling leaves much to be desired. I thought that was hilarious. I like planes! I think they're fun! I know you don't. Nope! You have to plead insanity! Hahaha! I know you miss him and so will Pony. Thankies chocolate bar! Hope you enjoyed!

Keira having trouble spelling her own name: I find that hilarious by the way. Thanks! I'm glad I got the picture in your mind. Yep! I am the secret holder! You will die with curiosity! Thanks, I love them too. I love that name! I would never not use it! He does sound cute huh? I love them all, but hey, I like any guy that fits into my preference range. Oh definitely. When the family is expecting her and Rain to just do stuff like that you know she's that type of sister. I love little kids too. She has some moments. Just wait until I put the good stuff I won't tell you about in. Of course he is! Officially Soda hasn't dropped out yet, so yeah. Does any kid like going to school besides me? I'm sure they'll be mentioned frequently. Hey, been there, done that. Just glad there's half an hour between us and not half a state. Haha! You do that! Hope this was worth the wait.

Rock, Proud reviewer of the king's circle: Hey! Cool name! Thanks! I love that too, even if his kids are a little odd in my view. Yeah, I was going for realistic. I just can't see them fitting in or not being awkward yet. Of course I did! How else would they get a fun loving uncle? I know how it goes and I thank you for your reviewing time! Knowing you liked I'll hope you're waiting for more!

Berserker Nightwitch: Thanks! I think that they all should have way out there names and I love playing with them! Really? Cancel their credit cards and stick them on the next plane home! Hahaha. Well, I don't know who they are, but they are most likely hot. Thanks again and hope you enjoyed!

CiCi: Believe me, we all have days like that. So no worries! Really? Yay for you! What type of Puppy? I have a dog all my responsibility and so does Jhon. It's a lot of fun, but work too. Thanks and hope you enjoyed!

DaNNi BaBezZz: Thanks! Hahaha, yeah they do, but that's half the fun! I love big families like that. Haha! They most likely where. I have yet to reveal Brand's full name, so you'll think it's weird I'm sure. I still have yet to see Shrek. I'll put it on my to do list. Maybe she will...Hope you enjoyed!

Two-BitGortez: Thanks. Hope you enjoyed!

Sabby: Thanks! Always nice to see a new face in the crowd, loosely speaking of course since I can't see you. Hope you enjoyed!

Meredith: Hahaha! You'll never believe I didn't know that. I blame Goddess. She should have told me. Hope you enjoyed!

Well, that's all of them. My people left to get ice cream so what shall I do to keep you all entertained? This is the song that never ends! It goes on and on my friends! Somebody started singing it not knowing what it was and they're forever singing it ...That gets boring fast.

Any comments at all are welcome and Flames are accepted.

See ya in the funny papers! Tens


	5. Loopholes

Hey, everybody. Long time no see. I hope everyone enjoys this one, it was a fun one to me.

Disclaimer: I own my characters and S.E. Hinton owns the Outsiders.

* * *

J.C's POV 

"Knock, knock."

"Ring, ring."

"No, Daddy! You're p'usposed to say 'who's there?'" Summer directed

"Oh! I thought we were playing a different game. Run it past me again," I said from over my mound of paper work

"Knock, knock!"

"Ding Dong," I answered

"Daddy….." Summer whined

"Ok. I say 'who's there', right?" I said, trying not to smile

"Knock, knock!"

"Who's there?"

"Kanga"

"Kanga who?"

"Kangaroo!"

I looked up from my seismic reports and smiled. She was a real chip off the old block. Now if he mother would only get her head screwed on right…

"Kangarooses live in Australia," she said coloring at the coffee table

"Really?" I said trying to make heads or tails of one of our off shore reports "I thought they lived in Canada."

"Where'sat?"

"North of here," I said looking for my sandwich

"Where Santa lives?" She asked

"Yeah, that's where Santa lives," I said, still looking for that sandwich. I had it a minute ago and it didn't just grow legs and walk away...

"Hey, J.C.?"

I looked up to see Darry with his head through the door. I smiled. It was nice to have people around for once.

"Come in, Darry. Door's always opened, except when it's closed. Just watch where you take a seat. I can't find my egg salad sandwich," I warned him

He looked at me quizzically and sat down in one of the clean, leather armchairs. I was amazed at how much he reminded me of his father. Except, I found myself liking Darry's personality much more than Darrel's. Darrel Sr. never dropped anything, not even if it had been years.

"How can I help you, son?" I said, still looking for that sandwich

"Just looking for some company," he said, looking around the office

"The spread gets pretty quiet during school hours, huh?" I smiled, understanding fully

"They've only been gone an hour," Darry said, sounding embarrassed

"Just wait until you have children," I said "You treasure many moments with them and miss them when they're gone, but when there is work to be done, school can be a wonderful thing, especially with scrappers like Rain and River."

"I guess I'm just not used to sitting around and doing nothing," he shrugged

"I'm sure Brand would do something with you. He used to throw a pretty good football, but then again, he used to be a lot easier to get along with. There it is!"

I picked up the half eaten sandwich from my desk drawer and munched on it. I was starved. Getting the kids together in the morning can do that to you. I know I should be like most dads and let them get it themselves, but then, I didn't want to be like every other dad. I liked bringing them things back from Hong Kong and Australia. I liked being up to make them breakfasts and see them during the day. I liked the fact they were all here most of all.

"Hungry?" Darry asked

"Starved," I said wolfing down the sandwich "In a couple hours I'll take you and Summer out for some lunch."

"Where is she?" Darry asked

"Boo!" She yelled and Darry looked surprised

"First thing about having children, play to their strengths. All mine seem to be artists." I smiled and Summer went back to doodling

Darry nodded, like he had no idea of what to say and I smiled. I took a look at the paper work on my desk and shook my head.

"Summer? Why don't you and Darry go paint pictures on the back deck until I'm done here?" I suggested

"Yay!" Her face lit up and she grabbed Darry's hand enthusiastically "I like to paint!"

Darry looked doubtful, but I smiled my thanks to him and Summer dragged him out of the office. I shook my head and picked up the surveys again. Why couldn't I hire anyone that spoke just plain English? Sure, I liked how professional they were, but geophysicists liked really big words. For some reason, the silence was worse than having Summer talking to me. I groaned and put them to the side. The one thing I love about having kids at home is that you always have an excuse to stop working and go paint out on the back deck.

Ponyboy's POV

River drives like a maniac. That's the only word I can find to describe the way River was driving. She was taking corners so she was almost on two wheels and I swear if the fuzz were around she would have out run them. Soda and I gripped our seats most of the way and Rain, I don't know how he did it, read over something while drinking a pop. Just the thought of it was enough so I wouldn't even look at him.

When she pulled out in front of the service station, I assumed was the Texaco, Soda and I scrambled out as if our lives depended on it. River smiled at us and Rain dumped what was left of his pop on the street. They were acting like it had been a nice Sunday drive. Even Two-Bit didn't drive like that when he was drunk.

"Welcome to the Texaco," River said gesturing to the building "It's not much, but it's a place to be away from school and not at home five days a week."

"Do you both work here?" Soda asked

"No, this is River's thing," Rain said taking the keys from her "She works after school and I head home to relax before I go out. So, you can either come with me or stay with her."

I looked over at Soda, who I could tell was feeling more comfortable with a garage so close. I knew that he would want to stay and I wanted to be where he was.

"I think we'll hang out here," I said after a while

"Suit yourself. What about you, cuz?" Rain asked

Soda figured he was talking to him and nodded.

"I'll stay here," he said and Rain shrugged before driving off

I didn't know how long we would be here, but it was a little more like home. River led the way into the garage where there were three cars, two of which were being worked on by three guys. They all looked up and River looked right back at them until something clicked.

"Oh. Jimmy, Duke, Tom; meet my cousins Sodapop and Ponyboy," she introduced

They all looked at us then and I knew my ears were burning bright red. Then one of them walked right up to us. He was Soda's height with light brown hair and dark brown eyes. I was ready for the usual 'Are those your real names?' that followed out introduction, but he was sizing us up, by the looks of things.

"Duke," he finally said and offered his hand to Soda "Nice to meet River's family."

"Yeah, nice to meet you too," Soda said, shaking his hand

"Where do you figure this family of theirs gets all these crazy names?" one asked, grinning like that was supposed to put us down

"Unless you've go something nice to say, shut the hell up, Jimmy," Duke snapped, "You'll have to excuse my kid brother. He was born without manners."

"Well, now you guys know you guys, so let's get to work," River said going into a side office

"Sure thing, boss," Tom said and leaned back over the truck he and Jimmy had been looking at earlier

I looked at Soda, who merely shrugged and started looking at the car Duke had been hunched over. Before long they were talking about what was going on under the hood and River came back out in some overalls. She spotted me, just hanging off to the side, and came over to where I was standing.

"If you're not interested in the cars, we have a lounge in the back corner there," River pointed to a couple couches and a crate that were over there "I'll turn on some music in a minute and you can do whatever you please."

I nodded and she grinned at me.

"You definitely are the quiet one in the family," she commented "It's about time we got one of those."

I just looked at her blankly. What was I supposed to say? I had never really had a reason to talk. Johnny and I understood each other well enough with out words and I had gotten good at keeping my trap shut good. I guess being the quiet one wasn't so bad.

River jogged over to where Soda was already getting his hands dirty. She shook her head at him and told him to go and slip into a pair of overalls. Soda grinned and went into the room River had just come from. When he came out, I had already made myself at home on the couch and River had the radio on. I guess now a time was as good as any to start my homework.

My first day of school had been awkward, to say the least. A new school, I assumed, always was, but I had always had someone in the past; either one of my brothers or one of the gang. I didn't know anyone in my classes and I had no idea how to act around these kids. For the most part, they all seemed like they came from a farm or were middle classers. There didn't seem to be many Soc types there, but there are a few in every group. There weren't any greaser types and I stuck out like a sore thumb.

Before we left this morning, Rain had asked me why I was greasing my hair. Soda and I had just looked at him, dumbfounded. Then Rain had said he had never seen anyone grease his hair before and it was interesting. I should have taken that as a hint that no one else around here had, but it was just so normal, just so part of home. Soda hadn't either, but everyone liked Sodapop. I heard girls in my second period Math class gossiping about him. It didn't take long for girls to gossip, not in Tulsa or here. I guess girls were the same everywhere. Well, not quite the same. None of the girls here dressed like the greaser girls back home. They all wore long skirts or blue jeans and their make up was tasteful. I guess it was a different world, after all.

Throughout the day, River and Soda had been the only ones that talked to me and that was just at lunch and while River was shuffling us between classes. She sure knew her way around the school and everyone seemed to know her. I would have sworn on a stack of bibles that half the teachers who read my name off the attendance list looked close to tears. I guess the name 'Curtis' meant trouble around here and they assumed that the more of us there were, the more trouble they would have.

I didn't like being labeled like that. It was just like home in that way. There, if you were poor, you were a greaser; if you were rich, you were a Soc. Here, if you were a Curtis, you were trouble; if you didn't look and act like all the farm kids or middle classers, you stuck out like a sore thumb. It wasn't fair, but I was just going to have to get used to it.

"How's the Math coming?" Soda asked, sitting down beside me a while later

"Not so good," I said "This teacher doesn't explain this stuff as well as my old one."

"Well, I'm sure Darry will explain it when we get home," he said looking over my trigonometry "I like this place."

"Does it remind you of the DX?" I asked and Soda's face fell a little

"It's different, but it's cars, you know? It's something I get and it's something to keep my mind off of home. I miss Steve and Two-Bit and even ol' Dallas, too"

"I do too," I said, looking back down at my papers, so he wouldn't see me fighting back the tears.

It was just a few tears, but Greasers didn't cry and I may not have been where everyone knew I was a Greaser, but I knew I was one and I couldn't lie to myself. Soda knew it, too and I couldn't lie to him, either. He ruffled my hair and headed back to where Duke was waiting for him. I sighed. Everybody liked ol' Sodapop, all right.

"Hey, Kid?" Tom called over to me and I looked up, surprised "Throw me that bolt, will ya?"

"What bolt?" I asked

"The one between your feet," he said, pointing a wrench at me

"Oh," I said picking it up and brining it over to him

"You sure do get lost in your thoughts, don't you, Kid?" he asked

"How could you tell?" River asked, passing us on her way to the office

"Hell, everyone in the place heard that bolt clank on the concrete and roll over there," Tom said after her and I wondered if he caught her sarcasm.

River grinned at him and disappeared into the office. He sighed and started fastening it back to the engine. He cursed then and glanced over at me, like he had forgotten I was there. He couldn't be a day older than 18, but his eyes seemed older. They were a dark blue, like the Shepard boy's. He had blonde hair and seemed like the quiet one of the bunch.

"Take a look at this engine, Kid. See anything that you wished you could beat the owner's head in for?" he asked

"No," I said taking a hard look at it

"See, the gears that turn over the engine are all warn down. Whoever owns it didn't bother to get the oil checked and ran her bone dry," he said, bitterly "You remember that for when you get a car."

I nodded, while he loosened and tightened other bolts. It sounded like he knew all about cars. He just rambled on about different things that I should know about cars and I listened. Soda glanced over at me, from time to time, just to make sure I was ok. I knew he was really enjoying this, just doing something normal and not acting. I was a good listener and I guess it was something normal for me, too. For the first time that day, I felt like I had found a little bit of Texas that didn't seem so foreign.

"Go to hell, Scott!" Every head in the room looked right over to where River was yelling at a guy who outsized her by a good foot

"Just because your daddy pays the bills doesn't mean I'm going to put up with you being a spoilt brat," Scott snapped at her

"What's up with those two?" Soda asked Duke

"If you ever break up with a chick, make sure you don't work with her," Duke said, watching the fireworks

"…And I bet your shit doesn't stink either," River snapped at him

"Real mature, River, real mature." Scott rolled his eyes

"If you want a fight, I'll give it to you, right here, right now," River threatened

"Now is where I step in and stop World War III," Duke sighed

He and Jimmy went over there and got in between River and Scott. It was another minute later that River stormed back into the office and Scott left the garage completely. Tom shook his head and went back to work.

"If there isn't a fight a week around here, I'll be surprised," he said "Kid? Never find a girl with as much temper as you have."

I nodded and watched River. I guess Socs had it rough, too.

J.C.'s POV

By the time four thirty rolled around I had gotten a bit of my paper work done and Darry was pining like a dog at the front door. I guess he had missed those boys just as much as I missed Rain and River. I guess I was used to them going to school by now and I had one at home still, so it didn't bother me as much.

"I'm home," Rain yelled, slamming the door

"Do you always have to slam the door?" I smiled at him

"Yes. How else would you know it was me?" He asked

"The 'I'm home' is usually a good give away," I said "So, I take it your cousins decided River was more interesting."

"Yep. At least one of them has that half of the Curtis gene," Rain shrugged "Anyways, I have a date tonight."

"My little man is getting all grown up," I said ruffling his hair

"J.C.," Rain groaned and ducked up the stairs

I shook my head at him and smiled at Darry. He looked so much like his father with that look on his face. He was waiting for me to explain and I felt, just like I always did as a kid, that I was in trouble for something.

"River works down at the Texaco," I explained "She'll have your brother home by supper time."

Darry looked even more lonely and nodded. I was glad that he'd be going to university next week. He really needed to be busy, just like his old man. I never understood that one. He'd be happy though and Summer would be starting play school on the same day. She was excited for it, but I knew I was going to be bored out of my mind with no one home. I guess I was going to actually get some work done or find another loophole.

* * *

Well, there ya go. Not much action, but hey. I liked it. Ok, on to the reviews before I get babbeling. 

Rock: Thanks! I'm glad it did, because I like doing that. Yeah, they are, but you know, everyone has family like that. Oh yeah, you know it. Hope you enjoyed anyways!

Chronic Sarcasm: I like that switch, by the way. Yeah, I do, but always worth it, right? Thankies, I know how that goes, I feel like I have known them for ages too. Yeah, I finally saw him and to each her own. That applies to everything! I should read up on him. Oh boy! I think we have all confirmed that for ourselves at one point. Hope you enjoyed chocolate bar!

Jenna: Thanks. Well, as you can tell, he's bored enough to. Hope you enjoyed.

Keira: University, get it right. Jk. Well, they're not supposed to, but hey. I knew you'd like that one. Thanks and thanks. I didn't think I did, but you're the Soda expert. Hope you enjoyed.

Berserker Nightwitch: Thanks! Yeah, it would, wouldn't it? I'll keep that one in mind. Actually, I don't think he would have an answer to that one, so it just slipped my mind. Hahahaha, thanks! That's always fun! Hope you enjoyed.

Pens4life: Thanks! I'm glad you thought they did. Hope you enjoyed!

k00lgirl'slilsis: Well, it never ends. Mickey mouse was not The Star Runner (totally different colors and breeds). Yes they are and we will make them some day. Thanks, but I don't go around doing that. I just go by Tens, ask anyone you like. Hope you enjoyed.

Two-BitGortez: Thanks. Hope you enjoyed.

DaNNi BaBezZz: Thanks! Well, I may see it someday, but every time I pick up that movie, something bad happened. Thanks! I love little kids like that and the older two are doing their jobs I see. I doubt he'll find one with Rain, but hey. Hahaha, maybe. Thanks again and hope you enjoyed!

NittanyLizard: Nice to see ya! Thanks, I found the idea intriguing myself. Well, definitely not. Thanks again and hope you enjoyed!

As always, any comments at all are welcome and flames are accepted.

See ya in the funny papers! Tens


	6. On days like these

Yes, I am updating! I know, I love it when I get bored, too. I hope you all enjoy! Well, onto the reviews before I get off track!

Aurorababe: Thanks! I hope you enjoy!

Taurus: Glad you enjoyed! Yes, You said something and now I can't remember, how lovely, eh? Curly? Interesting. Well, thanks again and I hope you enjoy this one!

Keira: She is! He is! I'm happy you think so! Enough with the exclamation marks! Well, as you will see, Darry has plenty to keep him busy in this chapter. Hope you enjoy!

Rock: I know how that one goes. That was one odd day, but satisfying. Thanks! Finally? Well, I'm happy. Glad you liked that! I love that she is a mechanic. Show those men (Jhon). Hope you enjoy!

Nittany Lizard: Yeah, that was my busy day. I love that stage, for about fifteen minutes, then I kind of hide, but it's amusing. Yeah, poor Pony and Darry. They'll have plenty to keep them busy and the Texan cousins will definitely be in on it. Hope you enjoy!

TwoBitGortez: Thanks. Hope you enjoyed

Berserker Nightwitch: Hey! Thanks! Yeah, I love that because no one ever does. Thanks for that one, too! I plan to try and kick them out more often! Hope you enjoy!

Ale Curtis-Carter: Thanks! Hope you enjoy!

Sodapop's#1gurl: Thanks! Hope this was soon enough and that you enjoy!

Moni: Thank you. Yeah, I am, they just don't have all my attention these days, but I hope to work on them all more. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own my characters and S.E. Hinton owns the Outsiders

Dedication: To Keira who can't wait for Friday and for Liz who can't wait for Thursday. Hopefully this will make the time fly.

/-/-/-/-/-/-

Darry's POV

"Now, don't go spacing off on me. It's bad enough I have to show you around without you taking a trip to Mars."

I glanced over at Brand, wondering if there was anyone on this earth that didn't mind his company. He didn't seem to really like anyone, but River, and he wasn't even that brotherly to her, either. If he wasn't family, and as big as he was, I would have hit him and asked him what he thought about that. I decided he wasn't worth my time, not today. Not on the day I was starting my new future.

University was the last thing I thought I would be doing at this point in my life. I knew since I was a little kid that we didn't have the money for it and that I would have to work to get anywhere in this world, but here I was. It was almost unreal to me, but the vivid memory of why I was here kept me vowing to do my best. My parents may have been gone, but they would have wanted me to become something and to watch out for Ponyboy and Sodapop. I smiled a little. It wasn't like they were five years old anymore, but I liked to think that I should be watching out for them.

"I wasn't going to Mars," I replied coolly, "How long until we get there?"

"A couple minutes," he answered

And that was that. Neither of us had anything else to say to each other. Brand drummed his fingers to the beat of a song I didn't recognize and I continued watching the scenery change. I was bored stiff, but at the same time I was excited and nervous. When we finally saw the university loom ahead, I relaxed a little. I always believed in hitting things head on and going from there and that was exactly how I was going to have to handle this.

Brand parked the car and threw his coat over on shoulder. I got the feeling that around here he was tuff or something, but to me, he was a Soc and not a very pleasant one either. I had known quite a few Socs back in Tulsa. My football team and graduating class were full of them, so I had made friends with a lot of them. I imagined that Houston would be no different and I would have to adapt.

"Name?" A nasally voice asked at the front desk

"Curtis, BJ," Brand answered and she handed him an envelope

"Name?" She repeated

"Curtis, Darrel," I answered and she handed me an envelope too

"The text books have already been paid for, so you may pick them up at your discretion. Name?"

We moved out of the line as she moved onto the next person and Brand paused at a table to sort through his envelope. I knew he was going into engineering, so I doubted we would have anything together. There was an identification card in there as well as a list of my courses and a map of the school. It was a big place and I knew I would need a map for the first couple of weeks. I sifted through it some more and came up with a list of the textbooks J.C. had bought as well as the schedule they ran here. I had four classes in all and they rotated from day to day. I had a four-hour long class in the morning and another in the afternoon. I frowned at the length of time I would have to sit around, but it beat roofing houses, I supposed.

"Let's get the books," Brand suggested, shoving everything back into his envelope and I did like wise

There was a kind of little booth off of a room filled with thick books where we got our textbooks. Mine were all very thick, but all looked very interesting. Brand glanced at his with passing interest. I reminded myself that this was his second semester and he was probably used to all of this. He sighed and led the way back out of the school. I frowned but didn't comment.

"Neither of us bothered to apply for lockers this year, so we'll be using the car," he explained, throwing most of his books into the back seat "Keep what you need for the day and stash the rest in here."

He waited for me to do as I was told, so I held back for a minute and wasted his time. He didn't look impressed, but there was no way he could accuse me of anything. I knew this was going to be an interesting day to say the least.

"There's your first class room," Brand pointed at one on the second floor a few minutes after our trip to the car, "I don't care what you do for lunch, but I leave at four thirty - with or without you."

I wanted to tell him where to get off when a pretty blonde came up behind him and rose on her tip toes to hug him around the neck.

"Hi, BJ," she greeted "Who's your friend?"

Brand rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. I was sure I was cramping whatever style he thought he had and just smiled.

"Harbor McKay, Darrel Curtis," he introduced

She eyed me curiously, but she looked friendlier than Brand and it seemed to be annoying him, so I didn't interrupt her.

"Pleased to meet you." She smiled "I didn't know BJ had another brother."

"We're cousins," Brand clarified "I'm going to class."

He stalked off and Harbor shook her head at him.

"He really doesn't like you," she commented

"How could you tell?" I asked

"I'm just very observant," she said smiling "Do you have marketing now?"

"Yeah, do you?" I asked

"No, I'm down the hall in Socio-economics," she added "I cringe at the thought of math for four hours a day."

I grinned at her and wondered why it didn't bug me. I'd always found math really easy and I guess it was only natural for me to continue on with it. I wanted to say something more, but the bell rang and people started filing in to the room.

"Well, try to enjoy class, Darrel Curtis." Harbor started off down the hall

"It's Darry," I called after her

She disappeared into the last door down the hall and I headed into class. I was surprised I had met her so easily, but she must have known Brand pretty well. You could tell by the way she hugged him that they had some form of close relationship. She did have a pretty smile, though.

"Welcome to Marketing 2B." an older man stood up at the front, looking almost impatient "Those of you who pass will go on to make a profit in your lives. Those of you who don't should remember that Dairy Queen is always looking for a good burger flipper."

There were a few laughs from the back of the room and the professor smiled a little.

"Everyone put your feet on your desks," he instructed and a few people did it without hesitation while a few students were hesitant "Come on, put your feet up."

In another minute even I had my feet on my desk and the professor was smiling. He sat on his desk, looking a little amused, but you could tell he had something serious to say.

"This, ladies and gentlemen, is as comfortable as you will be all semester, so enjoy it while you can," he advised

"You say that every year, Mr. Stevens," someone called from the back

"And every year you don't take me seriously, Mr. Harris," Mr. Stevens smiled "Now, put your feet down and lets get down to business. How many of you know what marketing is?"

From that point in I found myself jotting things down like crazy. I was finding that there was a lot more to marketing than just math, but I was also taking an accounting class in the afternoon that would be purely math, so I was fairly confident. Then there was my architecture class that would be all charts and measurements and finally would be the literature class I was required to take. The last one was the one I was worried about. I had always been bored to tears by books and movies unless they hooked me right away. All I could help thinking was that tomorrow was going to be interesting to say the least.

"Alright," Mr. Stevens brought my attention back to him "For Wednesday have the first chapter in your text read and make notes on what is good for marketing and what is bad for marketing. For all of you who put Mr. Harris at the top of your bad list, then you're already getting a good eye for what not to use in advertising."

There were some laughs and I could hear Harris was trying to say something in his defense, but the bell rang and we all began filing out of the room. I ended up behind two boys who looked around my age. The first thing I noticed was that they looked more like Greasers than anyone else I had seen here.

"You're not going to give him a break all semester, are you, Harris?" One asked

"Not on your life, Verne," he smirked "He would get bored without my constant observations."

I was curious, but decided to look and see if Harbor was anywhere in the hall. In my opinion, she was more interesting than Harris and his friend.

"Piss anyone off yet, Tim?" A girl asked making them stop and me, just behind them

"Harris tried," Verne answered "Stevens wasn't biting."

"Excuse me," I pardoned, not willing to wait on them to move any longer

"Hey, are you new?" Verne asked

I looked at them, wondering if they knew everyone in the school or if they randomly asked people if they were new. I decided I was just a new face.

"Yeah," I answered "Just got here from Tulsa."

"Tulsa sure boots out big guys," Harris commented

"Don't mind Tim, he's got no filter from his brain to his mouth."

"Harbor, Harbor, Harbor. You know you love it." Harris grinned

Harbor rolled her eyes and grinned good-naturedly at him. He winked and the other girl elbowed him in the ribs.

"Well, I see you've met the bulk of BJ's friends," Harbor commented

"How do you know Barby-Jane?" Harris grinned

"Yeah, I'm curious how he knows Betty-Jo, too," Verne teased

"He's my cousin," I explained, wondering if either of those were really his name

They both laughed and Harbor smiled.

"You poor, son of a-"

"Would you care to join us for lunch, Darry?" Harbor offered

"Yeah, sure," I agreed

/-/-/-/-/-

J.C. 's POV

"Ok, so we know there's oil deposits here," I said pointing to the map "But has anyone looked here?"

My analysts looked at each other and I frowned. I knew what was happening, because it happened every time I made a suggestion. I think they forgot a long time ago who was the boss around here.

"Well, sir," one started "We don't own that land."

I looked at him blankly and he shifted under my gaze. I tried to remember what exactly he did, but didn't come to mind. Whatever it was, it wasn't a job where he could talk down to me like I was a preschool student.

"I am well aware we don't own it. If we owned it, we would know if there was oil under it or not and I wouldn't be standing here listening to you avoiding the question. Has anyone looked there?" I repeated

"We do not know…" Another trailed off

"'Come on, people! My five year old could do this job!" I pointed out, disappointed in all of them

"I think we can find out," the first, Bob maybe, said

"I'm disappointed in the work ethic being put out, people. You have fifteen minutes to actually do your jobs or I'll go ask my Kids if they want jobs," I threatened but they didn't move "What do you do, Bob?"

"It's Bert," he corrected "I'm a seismologist."

"Well, Bart. My eldest son can be a seismologist. It doesn't look like all that difficult a job and with the openings that will be coming up he should make it there. He likes rocks and he does as he is told, too."

Ok, so that wasn't entirely truthful, but it got them all moving towards the door and I glanced at the clock. It wasn't even noon and I had threatened to fire half of the office staff. I was just glad that the rig workers actually knew their business. I sighed and headed back to my office. It was a nice office, don't get me wrong, but I'd taken down all the drawings Summer had made when the Chinese investors came. Wait, it was my secretary that had taken them down. Apparently they weren't professional looking, but they had added a touch of color to the tan and black scheme. There were no toys in here, no books and no distractions. You'd think my investors actually wanted me to work or something with how empty the office was. I sat down at the desk and drummed my fingers for a minute, before picking up the telephone.

"Grace?" I asked for my secretary

"Yeah, boss?" She answered

"What's on my agenda today?"

"You cancelled your appointments for today last week because your horoscope-"

"What's a horoscope?" I interrupted

"You called it a Horror-scope," she explained

I tried to remember when I had done that, but nothing came to mind and I told her to continue.

"You told your kids you wouldn't pick them up after school because you are going to go grocery shopping and you're mail needs to be picked up. As well, you need to return those calls to the senator and your ex wife-"

"Don't tell me, I don't want to know, not even which one," I instructed

Ok, so I didn't mind Faye or Michaela, but Gloria was just…what do you call a two timing skank that could have quite possibly played the witch in the wizard of OZ? Then there were the showgirls Holly and Gina and then who could forget Pam? I tried to recall if I actually technically married Pam, Gina or Holly, but that wasn't important.

"Mr. Reynolds is here. He says it only took them 12 minutes," Grace informed me

"Who?" I asked

"He says his name is Bert and he's here on behalf of the staff you threatened to fire."

"Oh, send Brat right in." I wondered how badly he got teased in school with a name like Brat "And have him bring coffee."

He set the mug on my desk a minute later and then the list of people who had actually looked for oil in the area I had pointed out. It was surprisingly short and Benny was looking nervous because of it. I took a swig of the coffee and nearly gagged.

"Grace!" I yelled

"Doctor Smith phoned and said: Less sugar, more cream," Grace said, coming in with a few messages

"That quack doesn't know anything," I muttered "How can he justify tampering with a man's coffee?"

"If you would lay off the sweets, he wouldn't have to," Grace minded

"I am a chocolate addict. Find me some help group for that, but leave my coffee out of it."

Grace stood there, chewing on her gum like some type of bovine, looking bored out of her mind. I motioned for her to write that down, noticing that Brett had left the office. Oh well, he was boring anyways. She pushed her glasses up on her nose and looked at the mess I had started making.

"Maybe you should go home and get some work done," she suggested

"With all the kids gone?" I asked, surprised

"Who knows, you might actually get your work done with them gone." She shrugged

"Who would get me my coffee?" I teased

"Who knows?"

Grace left the office and I was left all on my own, yet again. This day was going to be too long. I looked through the messages and decided I could handle those. Senators were just blowhards who wanted to know if you were donating to any charities and the rest of these people I could talk to and move on. By then I would have done enough to justify going grocery shopping. I never thought I would see the time when I would want to go shopping. I was turning into my mother! Not even my father, but my mother! I needed to get out of here, bad.

* * *

Ok, I had too much fun, I know. Bad habit of mine, but hey! 

Any comments at all are welcome and flames are accepted.

See ya in the funny papers! Tens


	7. Corrine

Yes, I'm back with more! I know, I'm playing favorites, but hey! I'll mention that reviews are at the bottom and let's get on with the show before I get to jabbering.

Disclaimer: I own my guys and S.E. Hinton owns the Outsiders

Dedication: This goes out to Jhon and me. Yes, kind of selfish, but I think our 17th deserves a dedication. So happy birthday, big brother. And happy birthday to me, too!

On with the show!

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Soda's POV

"Duke sure has taken a liking to you," River commented "It usually takes him a couple weeks to loosen up around new people."

"We speak the same language," I shrugged, hanging up the pair of overalls I had been wearing for the last week

"I speak that language pretty damn well, too," she reminded "Want to grab a burger before we head home? It's Brand's night to cook and he's not my favorite chef."

"Sounds good," I answered, nodding

"By the way, I have you working tomorrow night," she commented, "Scott wasn't impressed, but the boss seems to be enjoying the business all you boys are bringing in

I liked the Texaco. The cars were what I was used to and I liked the people. Duke was real friendly and we seemed to be getting along. I wondered how he and Jimmy were related; they acted so differently, but he reminded me of someone from home and that made it better in my mind. Tom always seemed disappointed when Ponyboy didn't stick around and talked his ear off when he did. It was kind of funny that the quietest guy around was taking to the quietest one in the family.

Scott, now, he bugged me. I hadn't seen him smile once in the last week. In fact, whenever I had seen him, he was running from the room before River could let into him about whatever was bugging her. I'd never understand why Dally and Steve had liked the hotheaded girls. They were nothing but trouble, if you got on their bad sides.

River drove us over to a place called "Al's". It served pretty good food and I was hungry. Working on cars may not seem like strenuous work, but you could get a good work out bending over cars and straightening up for tools and rushing around after customers. I guess River was pretty hungry, too.

"So, did Mrs. Keens give you much homework?" She asked, driving with one hand and eating with the other

"How can she give you homework in Art?" I shook my head

"How can she even walk through doors at her height?" River shook her head "No one knows the answers, but they still happen and there is no changing them."

"What if she wore high heels?" I countered

"Now, that's why I'm not passing Ideology studies," River paused "Summer could do that—SHIT!"

River slammed on the breaks and cars swerved around us while I grabbed the door. She shoulder checked quickly and turned into the lane that led back towards the garage. She cursed softly and drummed on the steering wheel when we came to the first red.

"Forget something?" I asked

"Yeah. J.C. isn't picking up the squirt tonight, so I have to," she groaned "Half an hour ago."

"She probably hasn't even realized you're late yet," I tried to reassure her

"She's a smart kid," River pointed out "She'll know."

I couldn't argue with her. Summer was a pretty intelligent little kid. River managed to get us there in record time and I waited in the car for her to go in and get Summer. When she didn't come out as quickly as she should have, I got worried. When she finally did come back to the car, she was alone and she looked very pissed off.

"Well, she already got picked up," River said, starting the car

"As long as she got home, right?" I asked

"It just bugs me when my father changes his plans and doesn't tell me," she sighed

We were quiet for a minute before she turned on the music. It helped me to relax and I hoped it was doing the same for River. It was a very long ride back to the ranch. It was going to take a long time to think of it as home, if I ever did. When we got there, J.C. was in the driveway, his arms full of groceries. It looked like he had barely beaten us back. I was kind of hoping he would be a while. River wasn't happy with him and she was the type who spoke her mind.

"Hey, kids! Just in time to help me with the groceries." He smiled pleasantly, stuffing a candy bar wrapper into his pocket.

"Are you sure you aren't going to change your mind about that, too?" she asked

"Not that I know of. I haven't changed my mind all day," he answered "Except about firing the staff."

"What about Summer?" She asked

"I think I'll keep her," J.C. said, confused "Is there something on your mind?"

"Yeah," River said grabbing a paper bag

J.C. sighed glanced over at me. I wasn't about to be in the middle of it, so I shrugged and grabbed a bag. We followed River into the house, J.C. munching on something from one of the bags and me, I just following him.

"It's about time."

J.C. stopped dead in his tracks and I had to side step to avoid crashing into him. I looked around him to see something I never thought I would see in this house. There was a woman sitting at the kitchen table, a woman in a cocktail dress. She didn't look impressed by the way she was pursing her red painted lips, but she wasn't showing off her legs for no reason. It was anything but a turn on, in my opinion. Reminded me of an old time cigarette add. Wouldn't sell much, now, but Two-Bit would love to see up her skirt.

"No, no, no, no! Lupe! Lupe!" J.C. yelled

"Si, Senor?"

"Did you let her in the house?" J.C. asked the maid very slowly

She was a Spanish lady who lived in town, but she didn't speak English very well. All she knew how to do was clean and he apparently hadn't questioned that when he hired her. She came twice a month and made the house liveable. I liked her just fine since I had only met her that morning.

"Oh, Si!" she smiled "Esposa."

"No! No esposa!" J.C. pointed to his bare fingers "Divorcio. Esposa go bye-bye…Adios!"

Lupe smiled at him as he used hand signals to show that she was gone. I found it kind of funny. He gave up, looking chest fallen at the failure of his attempts.

"Leave the help alone, Jason," the woman said and J.C. bristled

"This is my house, Corrine. You aren't supposed to be anywhere near it," J.C. said setting his bags on the counter

"I'm not supposed to do a lot of things," she informed him and walked over to where I was standing "Another one of yours? No, he's too old to be one of yours."

"Leave him alone. It's bad enough you harass me," J.C. ordered

"Corrine!" Summer came running into the room, picture in hand

She held the picture up for Corrine to see, but the picture was completely ignored and Corrine didn't even look at Summer.

"Honey, we talked about this. It's Mommy," Corrine said sweetly

"River and Rain isn't calling you that," she answered

"Well, I'm not their mommy," she clarified

"Thank the stars for that." River rolled her eyes, putting things away

Corrine patted Summer on the head and sat back down at the table. The squirt looked a little upset her mother hadn't paid her much mind, but J.C. headed that one off at the bend.

"Come 'ere, princess." J.C. picked her up "I found something at the store for you."

"You did?" her eyes lit up

"Yep," he answered "It's on the front seat of my car."

He set her down and she tore off for the front door. J.C. smiled and Corrine rolled her eyes.

"Sure, buy her off," she drawled

"Why are you here?" J.C. finally groaned out

"I picked up Summer from play school," she informed him "And then I helped myself to your bourbon."

J.C. looked over at River who was glaring at Corrine.

"You didn't have to, I was on my way," River snarled at her

"You drank my bourbon?" J.C. groaned, "That was a gift."

"A cheap one, too," Corrine added "Was it from Nicole or Gina?"

"Neither. It was from Meredith," J.C. answered

Corrine snorted a laugh and drank more of what was in her glass. Her gaze returned to me and I wondered if I should be feeling comfortable with that. A minute later the squirt came in ahead of Rain and Ponyboy with a balloon in one hand and a sucker in the other. Ponyboy had track tryouts today and Rain said he had nothing better to do, so he waited on him and gave him a ride home. Needless to say, Ponyboy looked confused and Rain didn't look impressed.

"Great, all we need is for Brand to come home with what other vagrants you've collected," Corrine stated

J.C.'s jaw tightened a bit and he looked like he wanted to leave the room before he killed her and I didn't blame him. I wasn't sure what a vagrant was, but I don't think it was right. So we were all quiet and she looked a little bored now that she wasn't getting a rise out of J.C. She sighed and stood up, picking up her purse.

"Come say bye to Mommy, sweetie."

Corrine put her arms out to Summer, but she just stared at her with big eyes, sucking on the red colored candy. Corrine glared at J.C., as if he had planned it that way, and turned up her nose to him. That's how she walked out, nose in the air and shaking her hips more than any normal woman would. When she was gone, J.C. looked over at the schedule on the wall that told who did what on what day and rubbed at his jaw. I don't think any of us knew what to do, so we all kind of just did nothing.

"Daddy?" Summer asked and he looked down at her, smiling "Can I go watch the TV?"

"Yeah, babe. You go and do that. Brand will be home in a bit and then we can have dinner." He nodded and she rushed off to watch TV

He looked at the rest of that and smiled.

"Well, that was Corrine. Hopefully you never meet Gloria, if you thought she was bad."

J.C. shoved his hands in his pockets and strolled out of the room like nothing had happened at all. We heard the door to his office slide shut and a car horn outside and Lupe appeared in the kitchen again.

"Good Night?" she asked in her poor English

"Yeah, good night, Lupe," Rain nodded as she disappeared down the hall and out the door

"That good for nothing…" River trailed off and I was sure she meant Corrine

"Hey, like he said, at least it wasn't Gloria," Rain reassured her

"How many times has he been married?" I ventured, sitting on the counter now

"Well, there was Faye and then our mother," Rain started

"Then came Gloria, and it's a good thing she left before we did anything too horrible to her. I don't need a murder on my record," River added

"Then there was Holly. I liked her. She was a show girl," Rain explained

"And she did like any show girl would and took off on him," Brand put in, coming through the door

"Right, but he didn't learn his lesson," Rain agreed "He annulled marriages to show girls Pam, Gina, Nicole and Rachel. That was just before he met Corrine."

"I still think she drugged him into it," River said, making to help Brand with dinner "She wasn't his type at all."

"The next one won't be either," Brand told her

"You cynic," River accused, grinning

Brand shrugged and Darry watched the both of them closely. I wondered what he was looking for, but I never knew what he was looking for. That was the one thing Darry even held over Ponyboy; no one could get into his head, no matter how much they tried. I'd tried, but it wasn't too important to me. As long as I could talk to Darry, I was happy.

Needless to say dinner was a strained event. J.C. ate in his office, Brand ate in the garage while River and Rain shoved their food around their plates looking bored. Ponyboy packed his away like he hadn't eaten in a week, which was typical. Darry didn't really eat. He looked like he was thinking on something, still. I hoped he found the answer to whatever he was looking for.

"Hey," Rain said suddenly "Do you know if Harris is having his annual Septemberfest?"

River shrugged, finally daring to take a bite of whatever we were eating. It looked like it might contain eggs, but I couldn't tell. I was glad that River had suggested we make the stop before coming home.

"Harris?" Darry looked interested

"Yep. Tim Harris. He's pretty funny, but he's also pretty odd," Rain answered, thoughtfully

"He's not that bad, just as long as he keeps to hosting the party. He got drunk last year and looked up a few skirts and got his parents mad at him," River explained "But that was the only year they were in town for it and they hadn't seen nothing when you look back at all the stunts he pulled."

"Like what?" I asked

"Well, he tried to steal a Lion from the Zoo one year," River said

"Borrow. He only wanted to borrow it," Rain corrected

"Then there was the year he decided that we were all going on a treasure hunt," River went on

"The treasure being a Keg that everyone had to chip in on," Rain ended "He always comes up with something, so this year he'll be doing something different. Never anything flashy or expensive, unless he's in the mood to blow cash, that is. You'd swear he was born dirt poor, by the way he acts. Dresses in thrift clothes, drives an old souped up 'vette and is about the only person I ever met that never has anything. Always bumming cash and cigarettes."

"When is this Septemberfest?" I asked, curious

"Sometime this month or it would be called Octoberfest," River pointed out "You want to know, have Brand ask him. They know each other and got to university together. In fact, Darry could probably get that answer faster than Brand could."

Darry looked up at the sound of his name and nodded at that. I wondered if he had paid any attention to what anyone had said. He looked like he was thinking hard again when he looked up at Rain.

"What does BJ stand for?" he asked

Rain looked taken back by the question and shook his head, smiling.

"There's a rule around here: If you want to know Brand's real name, you ask ol' Brenda-Joy," Rain answered

I started to laugh when I absently put a piece of whatever dinner was in my mouth. I nearly gagged and River laughed at my expression.

"This really is terrible."

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Ok, the end! Fini! No more! For this chapter, anyways. I hope everyone enjoyed. Next chapter will be interesting, in my mind at least. Now, on to the reviews!

Keira: No more insane work schedules! I know, won't happen, but hey! You'll see about Brand. He's definitely a character and Darry will find that out, I guarantee. Bert, actually, but J.C. don't care. Not like him? We've had this discussion. Thanks and hope you enjoyed. I know, lame, but hey! I'm entitled!

Nittanylizard: Thanks1 I love that, too and I knew you'd be the one to pick up on that and the friends bit. You'll see with that one. Brand is kind of guarded to new situations and the like, so yeah. I've never been, but it sounds like pure torture. Oh, feel free to tell me anything that I put in there about college/university that is wrong. The only person I know that could help me out with that is long time dead, so flying by the seat of my pants. The Ex's! Now that would make for an interesting story. River and Rain touch on them in this chapter, so you get a bit of an idea for them. Yes, to be that rich. I'm a little licensed with him in that respect. I know rich people who aren't like that at all, but it would amuse me greatly. Anytime and I hope you enjoyed this very long thankie as well as the chapter!

Taurus: Hahaha! You're not the only one to ask about Brand, so you'll have to wait and see! Oh! That makes me smile. I'm glad you like her. Air headed, huh? You'll have to explain that one to me later. Hahaha1 Yep! Finally! Glad I could help. Have they re-marked your boshed scores yet? Actually, I didn't even think of that until you mentioned it, believe it or not. Pam is Jhon's favorite, though. I should have remembered that. Thanks again and hope you enjoyed. I want chocolate now! You're mind powers are getting strong!

Rock: Thanks! I like having fun! Glad I could help, I guess. I know you'll pass, so not worries on my end. More? More? More? I'll get right on it! Plenty of praise! Thanks a bunch and hope you enjoyed!

Merry W: Well thank you! I'm glad that you think so because I thought so, too! I just get bored of the sister stuff, you know? I'm glad you enjoyed and hope you do with this one, as well!

Ale-Curtis-Carter: Thanks1 I will and hope you enjoyed!

Two-BitGortez: Thanks! Hope you enjoyed!

Any comments at all are welcome and flames are accepted.

See ya in the funny papers! Tens


	8. Prelude to a party

I got to writing this and decided it had to be a two parter. It was huge together and I find those ones are harder to read all at once. So here it is, an update and one in the near future, hopefully.

Dedication: To Liz who now has three and is almost catching up with JC. Yeah, it's late and that rhymes. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders. S.E. Hinton owns them, but I own everyone else!

Darry's POV

It was a week later that I did hear anything about this 'Septemberfest'. Harris had been passing out invitations during our marketing class, but he didn't bother even speaking to me about it. I guess he assumed I would show up with Brand which was exactly what I was doing. Needless to say it had been a boring car ride and I was looking for anything to occupy my mind before I fell asleep.

Harris lived on a ranch, which I was beginning to think was how most people in Texas lived. It made me wonder why Houston was so crowded, but I supposed every city was prone to be crowded. Harris had said something about thinking the country was too open and seeing where he lived, I had no doubt why he thought that. It was a pretty far out of the way spot for a party, but with how wild these parties where rumored to be, perhaps it was a good thing.

Things seemed pretty tame when we arrived and I noticed there where only two vehicles in the long drive way. I supposed we where early, just like Brand said we'd be. That was all he had said to me all morning. I was used to his lack of communication skills when it came to talking to me, but it still took me by surprise when he would start up a lively conversation with someone else. I don't know, I guess I was just a little put out that someone I spent so much time with wasn't impressed with the fact I existed. Harbor had been the one to invite me to this party and I was hoping these Septemberfests weren't exaggerated. I was hoping for a large crowd so I could just blend in and enjoy myself.

It had been a long time since I had been to a party. Dallas and Tim Shepard had thrown us a send off party before we left Tulsa. It was the last time when life had seemed half normal. Soda and Steve had partied to their heart's content with Sandy and Evie. Sandy had cried a lot and Soda had promised to write her, but to my knowledge he hadn't yet. Ponyboy had drank that night and I couldn't find it in myself to get mad at him. Curly and Johnny had sat with him and they had had their final send off in a quiet corner of Buck's place. Both of my brothers had had a hard time saying goodbye to their best friends, not to mention Two-Bit and Dallas.

At the time I had been sad we were leaving, but I was detached in the way I always had been. I didn't have a best friend anymore. Paul Hogan had moved on to greener pastures along with most of the people I had grown close to. I didn't hate them for it. They had money and futures and I had work and responsibilities. I couldn't change that. I always thought of my gang as my friends and family even, but there wasn't a single person I could actually call my best friend any more. I guess it made things easier, but a friend like Johnny or Steve…I guess I was just thinking silly thoughts. Maybe this party would take my mind off things and bring back a little of the normalicy I had missed. It wasn't very important to me, but at the same time it was. Ponyboy and Soda had taken to this life a lot easier than I had. I didn't understand that, but the phrase 'you can't teach an old dog new tricks' came to mind. Maybe this would help teache me some tricks.

When we got to the door, Brand knocked hard three times. He and I had come before everyone else on Harbor's orders. I got the feeling she was the one to organize everything and if she wanted our help, then I wasn't one to argue. I liked Harbor and was looking forward to spending more time with her. I had the feeling Brand was looking forward to it, too. A moment later a man opened the door and I wondered if you'd call his get up a Penguin suit or not.

"May I help you…Oh, it's you," his tone went from one of formality to one of distaste as his eyes landed on Brand

"Yeah, it's me," Brand answered walking through the door and I followed

"Master Tim is expecting you in the kitchen," the man, obviously the butler, informed us

Brand didn't say anything else and I nodded our thanks to this man. He didn't seem to think much of me, so I turned and followed Brand who walked through the place like he owned it. The house was even larger on the inside then it appeared on the outside. Someone mentioned Harris was an only child, so I imagined there was plenty of room in this house. It was a mansion, a Soc mansion. Harris didn't seem the type, but stranger things had been known to happen. We found Tm and Verne in the kitchen talking and laughing when we walked in. They smiled and I felt like I was welcomed.

"Hey, Darry! Glad you could make it," Harris greeted

"You're just happy that you won ten bucks," Verne offered handing him some money

"Hey, at least I won." Harris shrugged and I wondered what all that was about "Did you pick up the kegs, BJ?"

"Nope. I'm not spending my own money on it," Brand answered

Tim smiled and pulled a wad of bills from his pockets. He handed them over and smiled. Brand nodded towards the back door and I noticed Harbor standing there. He turned on his heel and made his way back towards the front of the house.

"A fool and his money are soon parted," Harbor observed

"A fool? Harbor, honey, I thought you thought more of me!" Harris grinned and Harbor rolled her eyes

"Oh, I do, believe me, I do, but right now I'm wondering if you really are a fool."

I noticed for the first time she had a bunch of paper lanterns in her hands. I eyed them curiously. She was also looking at them with a curious glance at Harris. He smiled and took one from her.

"Chinese lanterns. They're all the rage somewhere." He shrugged "There where a bunch in boxes in the shed so I thought they'd be cool to hang up and burn later."

"Ain't those the ones your mom bought special for that party of your dad's next month?" Verne asked

"So?" Harris said looking them over "I doubt my mother will even remember she bought them by the time that party comes around and my dad will be happy. He hates most of the new shit my mother buys."

Verne smirked and nodded in agreement. I had heard about people like that, but I couldn't imagine buying something and just forgetting about it like that. I frowned. I would never have bought paper lanterns, though, not even if they where Chinese.

"Harbor, baby, please just hang them up for me, will ya?" Harris asked leaning close to her and giving her a look I had seen Soda use on my parents more times than one

"Fine," she agreed and Harris smiled widely

"You're the best."

"Well, I will hang them, but I'll need help. I'm not as tall as you boys seem to think I am," she explained

"Darry doesn't have anything to do yet," Harris offered

"Would you mind?" Harbor asked smiling at me

"No, I don't mind at all," I answered smiling back at her

"Good! One Curtis at the store, one hanging lanterns and two making sandwiches." Harris tallied "That leaves two without assignments."

I raised an eyebrow at that. Soda was helping River with sandwiches when I left, but they couldn't make enough to feed all the people I knew would be in showing up. I didn't really care about that. I just wondered what he could possibly expect Rain and Ponyboy to do at this party? I had agreed to let Ponyboy come right off the bat as long as he didn't drink and didn't get into any trouble, so hopefully Harris wasn't shoving him in that direction or it was him I was going to have a few words with.

"Well, they won't be here until the party starts," Verne pointed out "So you may just have to write them off as lost causes."

"I'll think of something."

"Darry?" Harbor called from out back and I followed her out the door

I could see where Harbor would have trouble hanging these lanterns. Harris and Verne had hung the lines high from the house to what looked to be a small house. It was almost miniature in comparison to the main house, but it must have been a two or three bedroom one. Harbor informed me that it was a "pool house". That made sense with the pool off to the side of it. The lines where even above my head, but I cold manage with the hooks on the lanterns if I stretched.

"So, do you help set up this party every year?" I asked

"Yeah. Tim just makes the whole thing wilder every year, but after the cops busted him last year for disorderly conduct and the year before for trying to steal a tiger from the zoo, he agreed to tone it down this year," she explained "Chinese lanterns: plain, but unique."

I nodded, thinking they where definitely different. I had never been to a party with them before and figured that it was another fad that was coming through. I glanced over at where Harbor was gathering all the lanterns together so that she could just hand them to me as we went along. She looked over at me and handed me another. We went along like this or two more lanterns before either of us spoke.

"So, Darry. Where are you from?"

"Tulsa," I replied standing on tiptoe to hang one particularly stubborn lantern "Accent that noticeable?"

"No. BJ and I just grew up close and I don't ever recall you being around," she replied

"No. I didn't know I even had family until I and my brothers came to live down here."

"Are you all down here for school?" she asked cautiously

It was an innocent question and I tried not to let it make me stiffen or get upset. Football had taught me that you didn't let your emotions follow you onto the field. I'd learned how to leave them on the sidelines and I did now again.

"My parents where in a crash a little over a month ago. They left my younger brothers to our uncle's care, an uncle we didn't know we had. I decided I had to come along and was enrolled at the university. I didn't want to get too far from them. We where all we had left."

I didn't look at her the whole time I made it all seem light, like I didn't really feel anything about any of it. It made me feel sick, but I still had that control.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

"You didn't know," I assured her hearing the sincerity in her voice "You're actually the first person to ask me about it."

"Around these boys, that wouldn't surprise me." I could almost hear the hint of a smile on her voice "They have the manners of pigs some days."

I smiled at her and heard someone laugh from the house. I wondered if they could hear us out here, but I didn't think so. Some comment on other barnyard animals would have followed, I was sure.

"So, what about you?" I asked

"Well, I was born in Seattle," she answered and I noticed she didn't have a Texan drawl "My Mama and I moved down here when I was five, but we bounced between here and there because of my grandparents. My Dad was working on the rigs and Mama didn't mind letting me see him, even though she got full custody after the divorce. But she got sick around when I was 13 and died a year later. So I live with my dad, when he's around. He works for JC and does a lot of traveling. That's how I really got to know BJ, Rain and River. I practically lived with them and was Brand's shadow."

"It must have been nice to have people like that," I replied hanging another lantern

"Well, they're kind people and you probably know that already."

I nodded. I did know that. With as much money as JC seemed to have, he could have kept us well taken care of off in Tulsa, but he'd wanted what the rest of us had wanted: family.

"Are you two just going to stand around all day?" Harris asked from the door

"Yep. Are you going to wear that toga again?" Harbor asked

"Absolutely! Wouldn't be Septemberfest without the annual speech from me in a toga. Then we can get to the fun stuff!"

I wondered what that fun stuff would be, but figured I would have to wait and see just like everyone else. It was shaping up to be an interesting night, though.

River's POV

"Mustard, mayo, pastrami and Oreos?" I asked turning up the end of one of Soda's freshly made sandwiches

"Yep. Want to try one?"

"Nah. I'll stick to the good old cheese, ham and whipped cream with sprinkles, thanks."

Soda grinned at me and shook his head. I shrugged and smiled myself. Rain and I, as full blood brother and sister, grew up close and did everything together, that was until we both got interested in dating. We were still close, but every time Hillary or Scott – damn him- got brought up it was like the end of our time together. Needless to say I was really enjoying Soda's company. We could laugh, talk and make odd sandwiches together around making fun of teachers and working on cars. It was like he was another one of my brothers. I had all the brothers I could ever want, but I didn't mind adding Soda in there.

Darry was still on cousin status. You know, where you're polite and you can talk to them every once in a while, but you can't really talk to them type of cousin. He was an ok guy, but there was that age gap and that fact I hadn't really had a chance to get to know him. He was busy wasting his time on Banjo-Jim the grumpy. I didn't think it was anymore than a convenience thing between them and I would be surprised if they where friends anytime soon. Brand had a car, they where both going to school at the same place. Put two and two together and you had my brother and Darry.

Ponyboy was another story. He was one guy I couldn't figure out and that was saying something when I could figure out Tim Harris. He was shy and quiet and listened well. They weren't bad traits, but how the hell was he getting on so well with Rain when he had nothing to say? My brother was a chatterbox, but he liked someone to talk to and have the occasional argument with. That's where I always came in. I supposed that meant I wasn't replaced, but it left me with one hell of a pickle when it came to posting him on the family totem pole. Pickle?

"Pickle," Soda repeated, "I think it would be the perfect topper to this pepperoni, jelly and lettuce sandwich."

"That sounds yummy," Rain commented hopping up on the counter so he could see what we where doing

"It does!" I smiled "Soda is a natural when it comes to unique food combinations."

"He's a normal Curtis. Of course he is," Rain agreed, "Mayo, Oreo and mustard…Whipped cream is one of Rivers…"

"Will you stop that? People have to eat those!" I informed him still smiling

"They'd have to alright. How about ketchup and mozza with an apple slice?" he suggested

"I think that could work." Soda nodded "With a bit of icing sugar it would be perfect."

"How could I have forgotten the icing sugar?" Rain smacked his head and reached into the cupboard for it

I rolled my eyes at my brother and turned my attention back to the tuna and potato chip one I was making. Tim Harris loved these things. He said he never knew what he was going to taste next and that if we didn't make enough to feed an army we weren't going to be his favorite people anymore. How could we deny him something like that?

"Oh, mi Dios querido!"

"We'll clean up, Lupe, promise," Rain assured her, trying not to laugh at the startled look on her face

The Spanish maid we had only known for a year crossed herself and wandered out of the kitchen muttering some of the few Spanish words I understood. I looked around the kitchen and thought it was cleaner than spaghetti night at least and that she shouldn't have gotten so upset over it. Ok, there was a bit of everything on the floor

"She should see the family room," Rain commented

As if on cue, a shriek emanated from down the hall in the direction of the family room. A moment later JC darted into the kitchen and look around to make sure we were all safe. He glanced down the hall to where we could hear faint Spanish and gave us a curious glance.

"What have you two done?" he asked

"Well, Soda and I started taking apart an engine in the family room," I answered topping off an onion, crab apple jelly and pizza sauce sandwich with a bit of turkey

"Then I let Summer paint because River had a sheet down to cover the carpet," Rain added

"Then Brand may or may not have knocked over that seashell lamp while he was on the phone," I ended with a shrug

"Well, as long as you put a sheet down," JC answered not really caring

He winked at us from the doorway and shook his head, just like he always did when we did something he found amusing. We all knew he hated that lamp, but he hated getting rid of anything. Holly had given that one to him and that was the only reason we hadn't purposely destroyed it. I didn't think even Brand had meant to, but you could never prove anything with my big brother.

"Do you kids need a ride to your party this afternoon? I have to go into the office, so I can drop you on my way."

JC made a face at the word 'office'. He hated that place most days, even if he always ended up there when he was bored enough. I think he was the only adult I had ever met that could stay home all the time and still make a fortune a year. I didn't want his job, I was happy as a mechanic, but the money would be nice.

"Nah. We'll manage," Rain assured him

JC shrugged in a 'suit yourself' way and made his way down the hall to where we could hear Lupe almost sobbing. I knew we would have to give her a hand with the clean up, but we could put it off for a while yet. Soda and I where only half way through checking that engine and if anything happened to it, I was going to be in a very bad mood.

"Well, we should get these packed and ready to go," Rain suggested

"Do you think anyone will like them?" Soda asked

"Harris will," I assured him "And it's his party, so that's all that matters."

Soda grinned widely at me and I knew as well as he did that it mattered a hell of a lot more than the fact it was Tim's party, but I shrugged it off and started packaging the sandwiches. It was going to be one hell of a party, just like it always was. I glanced at Soda wondering why he never talked about parties he'd been to. He didn't say much about home. Not even if he had a buddy there or a girlfriend. I guess it must have been hard to leave home like that. I mentally slapped myself. Of course it had been hard! He was an orphan in a strange place with strange people. He'd relaxed a bit into this life, but he seemed like he could be happier. From the little flashes of mischief from behind his brown eyes, I knew he was a very happy person once upon a time. I hoped he would feel at home here someday and his eyes would light up like that more often. I think it was one of the few selfless wishes I had ever made. Hopefully, he was worth it.

* * *

Ok, well that's it for now. It occurred to me that that was River's first POV ever. I find her a little hard to write, so hopefully she came out the way you all thought she would. 

Next chapter is the much anticipated and rumored Septemberfest! I just found out there was an Octoberfest for music. I was going to phone the radio station and accuse them of stealing ideas, but I didn't feel like it. Reviews!

Keira: Has it been that long since I updated this? Holy shit. Well, I feel sheepish now. Yes, I am torturing you! It amuses me and you'll find out when I am good and ready. I'm glad you liked the scene with Corrine. I think I would die, too, but JC isn't my dad. Hope you enjoyed!

Taurus: Yes, you have, but hey. Seems I am torturing everyone with the secret of BJ's name! I like this game! Yeah, showgirl wives. You'd think they lived in Vegas instead of Texas... I think I got around to telling you all that, at least I hope I did. If I didn't let me know. Haha! You and chocolate! Well, I hope you enjoyed!

Nittany Lizard: Oh boy. Well, thanks even now! It was the 19th, you came to the party and brought wolly socks for everyone! I like wolly socks! ;) Well, thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I usually avoid Soda, so yeah. Kids not cooperating? Well, now, can't have that. Hope you enjoyed!

Rock: I know you do, but I still end with that. It's lame, but it's the only thing I can think of. Well, thanks! I'm glad you laughed at those parts because I did, too. Hope you...yeah, I got nothing to replace that with. Hope you enjoyed!

Berserker Nightwitch: S'all good. I know all about those senior portfolios. I have to do one up this year and am soooo looking forward to that one... Yeah, he's aguy. His friends tease him with the girly names. Thanks and thanks again. I do believe we talked about that, bu if we didn't, let me know. Hope you enjoyed!

Two-Bit Gortez: Thanks! Hope you enjoyed!

Ale Curtis-Carter: You and everyone else! I'll tell ya before too long! hope you enjoyed!

Forever Fallen Angel: I hope you got aroundto reading all of this and forming your own opinion towards whether this was good or not. I hope you have found it so!

Anyways, any comments at all are welcome and flames are accepted

See ya in the funny papers! Tens


	9. Togas and Troubled Thoughts

Well, this is a bit of a shorter chapter, but for the sake of getting things moving, I thought, why not do something short, then we can move onto the interesting stuff. So in that spirit, short it is.

Disclaimer: The usual

On with the show!

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Darry's POV

"He actually wears a toga?" I stated more than asked at this point having seen him in it for the last hour

"Yeah. He's been doing it for years. He always says 'if it's good enough for the Greeks…'" Harbor shrugged and took a sip of the beer in her hand "He never finishes that sentence."

"I don't think the Greeks would have thought much of this party," I muttered taking a drink of my beer

I watched as Harbor looked around. There where literally people everywhere, all of them drinking, eating and being merry. In the middle of it all was Tim Harris walking around in his bed sheet. The lanterns where glowing and the sun was pretty well set.

There was music coming from the pool house as well as the odd person to join the party or bearing food. I had seen Ponyboy carrying a tray of sandwiches earlier. I'd reached for one, but he told me quiet clearly that I wouldn't like them. I assumed they where Soda's creations and let it be. Someone had started passing out the beer at that point and I had managed to catch Soda's ear long enough to ask him to make sure Ponyboy didn't get into it. He'd smiled at me and told me he'd do his best before River dragged him off towards a snack table where Harris was raving about some sandwich they had made. Soda was beaming and I had turned my attention back to the party.

At that point I had lost track of Harbor, who seemed to be the hostess for the evening because Harris was too lazy to do the job. She had been mixing, mingling and talking to everyone who seemed to show up for this party. It took her all over the place. I did see Rain trailing after some girl I assumed to be Hillary. She was a pretty brunette and she looked mad. I could only wonder at what as she pushed past me followed by Rain who apologized before following after her. I shook my head and took the beer Verne was practically pushing into my hands. He was getting a conga line going and I thought it best to take the beer and get out of the way. That's when Harbor had appeared at my elbow with a beer of her own and our conversation had begun.

"The Greeks wouldn't know a party if it danced naked in front of them," Harbor declared after surveying the party "Neither would we, though."

I smirked at that. No, we wouldn't know a real party, either. I was going to say as much when Tim Harris himself, dressed in his white sheet with leaves in his hair, stood up on one of the tables and everyone cheered. He took a few bows and waited for the crowed to settle before speaking.

"Welcome to Septemberfest, everyone!" he started and there was loud applause "As you all know, September is this month in which we are in because if it wasn't, we would have to call this little get together Octoberfest."

There was loud cheering and laughter at that. I didn't find it all that funny, but it was Tim's brand of humor.

"But all goofing off aside, there are a few rules at this party. 1. No pissing in the pool unless you fall into it on the way to relieving yourself somewhere else and can't help it. 2. I will be the only one lighting things on fire this year. It was amusing to set the rose garden on fire last year, but my mother didn't see it that way and you can bet I got flack for that one… 3. The house is not a brothel, unless you can prove you are otherwise engaged or married to the chick you want to bang or you donate a good sum to the 'after party fund'-"

"After party fund?" I asked Harbor

"Tim pays off the maids and the butler. They get the weekend off and come back to a big bonus. That way Tim's parents never find out about this party," she explained "It works well."

"-And finally, no hitting each other unless you arrange it first and take it behind the house where there will be betting on who will win. Fighters, make sure you have a manager so you can get what you earned - and if a fight ensues over that, I get all the proceeds."

There was a loud chorus of boos and Tim worked to be heard above them.

"Y'all should let me finish. All the proceeds will come to me if a fight over a fight starts and that cash will be stored away for next year's Septemberfest!"

The crowed cheered and Tim took a gracious bow and smiled widely at everyone.

"So, eat, be merry and have a damn good time!"

There were more cheers as Tim jumped off the table and he music started up again. He started towards us smiling, but looking thoughtful. He glanced my way before turning his curious look on Harbor.

"What did we do with the fighting because of fighting funds from last year?" he asked curiously

"I donated it to your mother's garden," Harbor answered, "I thought it was the least I could do. She wanted to throw you into a ditch somewhere and that money was a good bribe."

"Huh. So you gave my money to my mother, who has never been mad at me for more than a day in my entire life, in order to help me?" He asked and Harbor nodded "I think I would have preferred the money. Drink up, Darry!"

"I'm working on it," I assured him

"Not fast enough. How do you expect to get drunk if you nurse that one cup all night?" He asked pushing a lock of hair out of his eyes

"I don't," I answered trying to remember the last time I had been drunk

"We need to educate this boy, Harbor," Harris pointed out slinging an arm around Harbor's shoulders

Harbor shrugged and took a sip of her own beer before handing the empty cup to Harris who looked at it with satisfaction.

"A girl is out drinking a big guy like you!" Harris smirked "Hey! Are you going to drink Brandy-Jane under the table again this year, Harbor?"

"No, I'm retired. I think Verne mentioned he could have done it faster…" Harbor trailed off as Harris scanned the crowed for Verne

"We'll just have to see about that! Enjoy yourselves!" Harris called over his shoulder as he hurried towards the bar

"He's in the full party spirit," I pointed out needlessly

"He's just getting started," Harbor assured me moving off into the crowed with the empty cup Harris had discarded

I wandered in the direction Harbor had gone. I was counting on her to be the person I hung around with at this party, not really knowing anyone else here that wasn't in a class with me at school, but I didn't want to come off as a clingy follower. I couldn't have said why it was important, but Greaser pride was what I chocked it up to. It was hard to lose something that had been ingrained in you since you where a kid. You had to be tough, cool and mostly aloof. I looked around, thinking I would tone down all of those. I knew there weren't Socs and Greasers here, but most of these kids where dressed like Socs and farmers. I caught sight of Soda, who had his hair greased back for the occasion and smiled. I guess there where at the three of us here and we were going to do the name proud. If only I could have guessed how right I was …

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JC's POV

"…And then the Monkey climbed up into the tree and disappeared to the magical world of Oz where he grew wings and became a witch's assistant."

"And what happened to Rabbit, Daddy?" Summer asked pulling on my sleeve

"Well, he went back down the rabbit hole and…lived happily ever after with his wife, Bunny." I shrugged

"What happens to him when he's p'upposed to get a divorce?" she asked and I blinked at her

"What makes you think he'll get a divorce?" I asked sitting down on the bed beside her

"You an' Corrine did," she answered looking at me with big blue eyes

"Well, I and your mom just didn't work out," I answered

"But you an' BJ's mommy didn't either," she pointed out and I wondered how he had got so clever "And River and Rain don't got a mommy here."

"No, we didn't. I told you River and Rain's mommy died. And Brand's mommy lives in a correctional facility, but yes, that was after we got divorced," I said before she could ask "Listen, sunshine, not every mommy and daddy get divorced. It just didn't work out with Brand's mommy and me or your mommy or Holly…or Gloria or Gina or Pam or Nicole…but that's not the point. I think I only really loved a couple girls in there and I had your brothers and sisters with them."

"Din't you love my mommy?" she asked yawning

"I thought so once," I answered "But even if I didn't, she gave me you and I love you."

"So Rabbit and the wife Bunny don' get divorced?" she asked not able to keep her eyes open any longer

"No, they live happily ever after together," I assured her "Night, babe."

I flicked off the light in the room and made my way back downstairs, thinking on what I had told my five year old tonight. I'd been married a dozen times, in love only a few and I was alone with all four of my children and my brother's three. What thirty eight-year-old man saw his life turning out this way? I suppose life could have been worse.

I walked over to the record player in the front room and put a record on the player. It was one of the ones Michaela had bought right before River was born. Frank Sinatra sang what was another nameless croon as I poured myself a drink from the bottle Caroline had rudely opened and sat down on the couch with a photo album. I flicked to where the only picture I owned of Darrel was. He was standing outside his first house with a pregnant Eleanor beside him. He was 22, he was married, his first kid was on he way and he had it made. He was Dad's favorite, the apple of Mom's eye and he could do no wrong.

I turned the page to where I was standing beside my first drill, smiling or the camera and anything but happy inside. That was the day Darrel and I had our last face-to-face fight, but it had been the worst one we'd ever had. I was just past my 18th birthday, headstrong and I wanted to see the world and do things Darrel had never dreamed off. So I'd taken odd jobs, been gone for days as a kid and worried my folks silly. Then I, what was it Darrel had said? Oh yes. I got 'a damn fool idea in my head that I wanted to go lose everything I had in the oil business'. He'd said that if I ever came back looking for a hand out, I was on my own. If I walked out on Dad's family business, if I made I so it would just be 'Curtis and Son', I was disowned.

And so it was. I had taken up with the Harts, been on the move with them and finally bought them out when I was 20 and they where done. My mother had never met her grandchildren, any of my wives or seen the life I'd created for myself. My Dad had never seen how well I'd done once I got out of Tulsa, even if I was guilty about doing it. He'd never said 'Good job, Junior' like he had when I was a kid and brought home an A. Now it was too late for all of that.

I could have blamed Darrel and been happy with the knowledge that he was the one who had forced me out, who had made it so hard to come home. But I didn't. I'd made my own choices, I was the one who had never tried to patch things up with him and I was the one who had made it big on my own and done something important with my life. I never had to go home for that hand out and I never embarrassed Darrel by offering him one when I looked into his situation a few years ago. He was proud and I'd respected that. He kept the business going after Dad died until after Mom joined him and then he got a regular factory job where he made enough to feed his family. These where accomplishments in Darrel's life and it would have insulted him to have invited him to join me, to be a partner to get something for nothing.

I sighed taking a drink of the burning liquid, remembering the phone call Darrel and I had had when I had called home to tell him I had bought out my partners and wasn't quitting and going home, like they were. He'd said I didn't know the meaning of hard work, how I hadn't been able to get anywhere on my own and how I was too bull headed to know when it was time to cash in what I had and go home. I was going to fail and he felt sorry for me. Well, he was wrong, but we'd argued for at least half an hour. I'd accused him of being blind to anything he wasn't familiar with. He accused me of selling out on everything we were raised in. I told him even after Dad died; he was still trying to be the perfect son. He'd told me that he was at least a son. It had ended badly and that was the last time we'd spoken. I'd always kept up with their lives, making sure they would never need me and I would never need them. Then one afternoon I had gotten a call from Darry and everything I had done didn't matter anymore.

I closed the book. It was another time and another place. I had the impulse to throw the photo album on a blazing fire along with Frank Sinatra and his 'Strangers in the Night', but I'd regret it at some point. Instead I set it down between the couch and the lamp table before getting up to turn off the music.

As if by magic, the phone rang to fill the quiet the music had left behind in its wake. I frowned before finally moving to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Daddy…"

"River Anne Curtis, get explaining and get explaining fast."

To Be Continued...

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Well, like I said, short. But I hope everyone enjoyed. Thank you to all my lovely reviewers and if I could, I would address you all personally. Just know every review gets read, every message is thought about and suggestions are considered. I appreciate the support. I love you guys!

Any comments at all are welcome and flames are accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!

Tens


	10. The Dead and The Living

Well, I had seven pages of this chapter ready to go before I totally hit a writer's block on it and got bored and thus there was a huge update gap - a embarrassing one... So I took a page from Tolkien and decided to start all over again. Looks like the man was brilliant…But I will not be starting this story from the beginning again 'cause that would be too much like work. He was a little insane when it came to that…Anyways, without further adieu, the next chapter!

Diclaimer: I own the Texan Curtises! And S.E. Hinton owns the Oklahomin Curtises!

Warning: some slight language and mention of adult situations. Oh, and it's Looong - Just thought y'all should know.

On with the shoe!

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JC's POV

The next morning I woke up early and sighed. Well, I would have been waking up early if I had have actually fallen asleep. I guess I was just acknowledging that I needed to get off of the bed and check on things. I'd taken a couple hours to myself, but when you're a parent that's about all you can ever hope for. It was one of the things about being a parent that sucked. Like how you have to go and clean up your kids' messes. I was actually glad that River had called me instead of Bran. It was the first time in a long time that she had done that. It was a night for firsts. River had actually called me Daddy on the phone. She hadn't done that since the day her mother died. And Ponyboy…What was I going to do about him? What did Darrel do with his boys in these situations? I wondered about him a lot lately. I guess I was actually admitting to missing that pain in the ass brother of mine and not for the first time. How would Darrel have handled last night? For some reason I knew it was probably nothing like I would have done.

After I got off the phone with River, I'd bundled Summer up and set her in the back seat of the car, still asleep. It was twelve thirty in the morning. I didn't try to get a hold of a babysitter at the time because I knew no one who would come all the way out to the ranch at that time. I doubted I would have waited for one to get there anyways. When I'd pulled up into the driveway of James Harris and family last night, I was reminded that he and Shari weren't home. There where cars everywhere, partying kids roamed the lawn like cattle and blasting music came from somewhere too near for it to be that loud, excusably so. If the local cops would ever go out there, they might have tried to break it up, but I found nothing accomplished this faster than a parent. So I wasn't surprised when I'd got out of the car that some of them started leaving. More of them started leaving when I'd went into the back seat and picked up Summer who was still sleeping peacefully. I'd sighed, laying her head against my shoulder, before wandering into the house and sending the partygoers there dirty looks that had them scrambling to get out off the property. Like I said, nothing breaks up a party faster than a parent with a little kid.

After that it was like playing hide and seek to find the rest of my children and Darrel's children. The whole process had taken over half an hour. Then there was getting them all home and arguing with Brand…It was a wonder that I wasn't nursing a bigger headache than a few of the kids would be.

Darrel, on the other hand, would have gone in there, commanded the kids to him and not put up with any nonsense when it came to getting them all home and to bed. He would have even had the sense to get some sleep himself once things quieted down. But he wasn't me and he was dead. And it was up to me to take care of his boys now. He'd never have the chance to take care of them and get them through occasions like these again. And I wished I could change that.

I sighed heavily, feeling like I could use a strong cup of coffee before finally hauling my butt out of bed. The clock on the wall read 7:34. The kids were lucky it was Sunday or I would have had all of them out of bed and off to school by now. Instead I had lazed about and now it was coffee time.

I made my way through the silent halls of the house and downstairs into the kitchen where I wasn't surprised to find Rain. That boy had always been the early riser in the family. It was rare when he didn't have the first cup of coffee and the newspaper spread out in front of him when I got up. Most days he got Summer up and going for the day, but after his late night, I knew he would leave her sleeping for as long as possible. He glanced up when I walked in, but aside from that I got no recognition. I didn't deserve that and I didn't try to reason that into some weird guilt. If he had have acted this mature last night maybe his girl friend wouldn't have broke it off with him and he wouldn't be in this situation. He was my boy, all right. We loved them, but never could keep them for long. And yes, they left us, not the other way around. Corrine was the only exception.

"Morning, Rain," I greeted, helping myself to the coffee pot "Looks like a nice day is coming."

No answer.

"Anyone else up yet?" I asked

No answer yet again. Well, maybe I'd try again later.

"Nice talking with you, son."

I walked out of the kitchen with the coffee cup I'd poured and made my way across the hall to the office. There was a stack of work to get done on the desk, but I just didn't feel like it right then. I had hired good people who could easily do this for me, but it never ended up happening that way. I was far too much of a one-man team type guy. Always had been. I'd learned to share over the last few years. Well, after Summer was born. This was my first, and hopefully last, attempt at raising a young child on my own. I didn't know what I would do without Rain and River helping out, maybe become a complete figurehead to the company or something boring like that. Not that staying at home all day with Summer didn't have its pluses. But sometimes a man had to do what a man had to do and find a way to support his family.

"Daddy?" Speak of the little angel

"In my office," I called back

"River is sick," she informed me, clinging to my leg like an overgrown fridge magnet "She wouldn't let me in her room to help her. I'm a good helper!"

"I know you are. She's just feeling a little sick. It's called a hangover," I explained, not getting into everything else it was, "And she'll be fine."

"What s'at?" she asked and I frowned

How did you explain a hangover to a five year old? I sighed and rested a hand on her sleep-tangled hair. She'd pulled it back into a hair tie without combing it. Oh, it was going to be a joy when I had to finally work out all the tangles…

"It's what happens when you drink too much of Daddy's special drinks and spin around for a while."

The spinning was all in your head, but that was another can of worms I wasn't willing to open up until she was old enough for the sex talk. Then I would pass her off to someone unsuspecting, like Ponyboy. That would be a show to see.

"Why is River getting special drinks?" she asked and I shook my head

"Don't ask me where she got it; I don't quite know for sure. But she was very bad for getting into it. You won't get into my special drinks, will you?" I asked

"No Daddy!" She shook her head and I grinned at her

"Have you had breakfast?"

"No. Rain wouldn't get me my cereal. He sick, too?"

"He's just sad."

"Why?"

"Because Hilary doesn't love him anymore."

"Why?"

"It's complicated," I sighed, sitting down in one of the leather chairs and sitting her down on my knee

"Why?"

"It just is."

"Daddy, you're really bad at the 'why?' game," she informed me, looking up at me with those baby blues "You're p'usposed to say 'Because'."

And here she was making life easy for me and I never even caught on. I smiled at her.

"Why?" I asked

"Because."

"Because why?"

"Because, Daddy. Just because." She rolled her eyes at me "Can we have some cereal now?"

"Sure, Princess."

"Daddy?" she asked as I set her on the floor

"Yes, Summer?"

"Did Rain an' Hil'ry get a divorce?"

"Kind of, honey," I answered, taking her hand and going towards the kitchen

"That's sad."

"He'll get over it. It wasn't like when your mom and I got divorced."

"So she didn't throw the coffee pot at him and call him bad words?"

"No. She just told him it was over and that was that."

"That's not so bad," she said pulling away from me as we got into the kitchen and running over to where Rain was still crouched over his coffee. "It's not so bad, Rain."

Rain sighed and looked at his sister critically. "Summer, you don't understand."

"I do too!" She told him adamantly "Daddy's had lots of divorces!"

Rain looked at her for a long moment before turning back to his coffee. Summer sank into her chair looking hurt, so I hopped to get her cereal before the waterworks could start. I sat the bowl down in front of her and smacked Rain upside the back of the head for being such a brat. He glared at me and I gave him a pointed look.

"I'll be fine, Summer. Just give me time," he bit out

"Ok." She sank her spoon into the cereal and started munching happily

Well, that was one crisis averted. I looked of towards the stairs to the basement and sighed. I hadn't gone down there to check on River since I was sure she was going to be fine. I was going to check in on her in another half an hour or so. After last night I was going to be more prominent in her life, whether she wanted me to or not. I guess it took a good scare to make that clear.

I glanced up the stairs and wondered how the boys were fairing. I didn't want to be Ponyboy anytime in the near future. He'd gotten pretty piss drunk last night and I thought it was better to leave the yelling up to his older brother. There was something about the Darrels in this family that automatically gave them yelling power and the scare factor to make it even worse. Don' get me wrong, I was a Curtis – we can belt it out with the best of them – but I was willing to give Darry that much responsibility. He had been willing to take on a lot more before I came along and it was only fair. Well, I reasoned it out that way.

A minute later Sodapop came down the stairs looking at his feet until he got to the table and sat down. Rain didn't bother to look up and Summer was busy humming to her Cherrios. Soda looked pretty uncomfortable just sitting there and I wondered what was up with him, aside from the fact I had come and got the kids last night and declared him grounded along with River, Rain and Ponyboy. That's when the yelling started. Soda flinched, Rain looked up and Summer stopped eating – spoon midway to her mouth. I took a calm sip of my coffee and nodded. Darry was a Curtis, all right.

"Daddy, why is Darry yellin'?" Summer asked and Soda seemed to sink even further into his chair

"Ponyboy did something he shouldn't have," I answered "And Darry's letting him know he's not happy with him."

"Aren't you going to yell?" she asked

"Do you think he deserves me yelling on top of his brother?" I asked and she thought as seriously as a five year old could on something like that

"If I was Pony, I wouldn't want you to," she told me "You yells loud."

Rain nodded in silent agreement and I pet Summer's hair again

"You know, neither would I. I'll let Darry yell this time." I set my empty coffee cup down and started towards the back door where my ranch shoes were and the coat I threw on when I had something to do around the place.

"Are you going to work?" Summer asked and I shook my head

"No. I want to go and have a word. Rainian, Sodapop; you two better get something in your stomachs. When I come back, I'll have chores for the pair of you," I warned them

They both nodded, one more tersely than the other, and I threw on my jacket before heading out the back door.

The ranch was, to put it simply, a piece of heaven on earth. We were settled on the top of a hill not too far from a small river that ran back behind the house and the stand of trees that knew to grow around it. You couldn't see anything but grass and hills for miles and the sun was always showing us amazing skies. I'd done something right when I'd picked it. The land was a great deal when I had first started drilling for oil on it. I had planned to just get the oil out of it and sell it again but Michaela had been prodding me to get us moved out of crowded and bustling Dallas and this looked like the perfect place. The price was right – I already owned the land- and there wasn't another neighbor in either direction for five miles. So we built the house, garage and the barn before bringing the kids out here. They'd loved it and as anyone with eyes can see, they grew like weeds out here. Of course it wasn't the same after Michaela died, but I never thought much on that if I didn't have to. You generally try not to when someone you love dies. Like I said, they leave us, not the other way around.

I shook my head a little and told myself to stop stalling. So I put one foot in front of the other thinking I had every right to stall. Tackling BJ was like taking on a bear with cubs, but with a lot more profanity. It was only because I was the bigger bear that he ever listened to anything I had to say. I sighed and pushed open the door into his domain. He'd wanted to move out here since we moved in and I only held off about six months before I let Michaela talk me into it. It was a good solution for all of us. BJ had hit ten and figured I was the enemy; staring any fight he could think to start with me. I never did understand that one. It had been him and me his whole life. He was two before he met Michaela and before that it was really just he and I. His mother and I got divorced a week after he was born and he'd never so much as seen a picture of her outside the news paper he managed to dig up somewhere around the time he was fourteen. As far as he was concerned Michaela was his mother – he called her Mom – and he ran to her enough when I wasn't giving into him. He missed her just as much as I did.

"Close the door."

I glanced at where BJ was bent over the truck he'd traded the last piece of junk he'd brought home for and closed the door. He didn't look up at me and I wondered when he'd gotten so rude. He could have at least said something in form of a greeting.

"Brand," I started and he looked up with a glare

"What do you want, old man?" he asked and I set my jaw against what I wanted to say back to that. I wasn't going to let him turn this conversation into an argument before I had said anything.

"We need to talk about last night."

"So talk."

At least he hadn't told me there was nothing to talk about. The last time a conversation had started out on that note I had nearly smacked him silly. Fifteen is a hard age, but I figured he would have at least grown out of the sass. Yeah, my luck wasn't spectacular on that one.

"I want you to know I'm disappointed in you. You let me down. You let her down and you let yourself down," I told him leaving no room for interpretation

"She's sixteen! I can't watch her every moment of every day, especially at a party," Bran replied, turning from the vehicle so he could look at me "Even if she had have been glued to my side, there was no way I could have stopped what happened."

"I'm not saying you could have. I doubt anyone could have, to tell you the truth," I told him evenly "What I want to know is where you were while she was alone and needing you."

"I was –"

"You weren't there. She had to find a phone and call me." I was trying not to growl at him at this point "How she managed that is still beyond me."

"And everything turned out ok," he ground out

"And what if it hadn't? What if she couldn't dial the number? What if she had have had a stronger dose of that downer put in her drink?" I asked "You and I could be discussing baby arrangements or worse funeral arrangements right now."

"I know!" He growled

Bran threw me a seething look and went back to working on his engine. I knew he cared – I could see the tension in his shoulders, but he wasn't getting off that easily.

"When Mom died," I started and he stiffened "You and I made a deal. We were going to be partners and take care of your sister and brother the best we could, regardless if I found another wife or not."

"Don't bring Mom into this. Mom is dead and she wasn't even my mother. And since when have we been partners? When was the last time you asked me about my opinion or what I wanted?" he demanded

I wondered what he was talking about – I asked him all the time, he just never answered. He was too busy being angry to even think beyond his lot in life. Up until last night he had always taken care of River, though. I had trusted him to do that much and that was why this conversation was so difficult. He wasn't done talking, though.

"You didn't even bother to tell me when those people moved into the house. I had to find out over breakfast the day they moved here!"

"Those people are your cousins," I told him "Your only family beyond me and your brother and sisters."

"Family? You didn't even mention you ever had a family before they got here. You could care less about that stuff, so don't tell me to take an interest in them."

"What do you have against them?" I asked, getting frustrated with him and the way this conversation was diverging

"Everything!" he snapped, "Why the hell do you suddenly care? You haven't given a shit since Mom died. And even then, she was the only reason you even pretended to. So why don't you go back to whatever the hell you've been doing and leave me the hell alone!"

And that was when I lost it. It took four steps exactly to cross the room to where Brand was closing the lid on the car he had been fiddling over. He turned just as I got in his personal space.

"Are you sure you want to go there with me, boy?" I asked, deadly serious and I could see him contemplating it both ways. He was a Curtis, though, and stubborn is as stubborn does in this family

"Go to hell, old man."

Before he had a chance to move I had him shoved up against a wall with my hands fisted in his t-shirt. We stared at each other for a full minute and he looked madder than ever. I was madder than ever, so I wasn't surprised. We hadn't fought like this since he was fifteen. We were eye to eye now.

"If you ever use that tone with me again, I will not hesitate to throw you over my knee. Understood?" I asked him and he looked away, ignoring me. I shoved him against the wall a little harder "Understood?"

He nodded and I let go of him. We were both glaring at each other, but I could tell he was more upset with me than I was with him. I'd been through this stage with my own father and worse – my big brother. I would get over it and he would, too. Until then, life was going to be more bearable between us.

"I'm sick of this attitude. You've had a stick shoved up your ass for the last five years and I'm sick of it. The next time we talk you'd better have your act sorted out."

There was no 'or else' and there was no need for one. He knew exactly what would happen if he didn't and his life was a little too comfortable right now for him to think about going it on his own without a dime or possession to his name. He didn't even like his name. I sent him a tired look, wondering where the hell I went wrong with him, and turned to leave. There were no tears and there would be no 'Daddy, I'm sorry' like when he was ten. I missed that more than I was willing to admit.

I definitely needed to have that word, now.

/-/-/-/-/-/-

Soda's POV

We sat at the table for another twenty-five minutes and J.C. never showed. Rain finally got up to do the dishes and pour out the cold coffee, so I picked up the towel to dry and went over to the sink with him. We were nearly done when Rain looked out the window and sighed.

"Must have been a bad fight this time."

"With Bran?" I asked and he nodded "How can you tell?"

"See that hill out there near the only tree in the field?" Rain asked and I spotted the tree he was talking about pretty fast

"Yeah, I see it."

"Dad only goes out there on three occasions; my mother's birthday, my mother's death day and when he's fought with Bran worse than usual," he supplied

"What's so special about the tree?" I asked

"My mother's buried under it," he answered before leaving me at the sink "You have another hour before he comes back with those chores."

I nodded and finished drying the last dish. It was better not to say anything when people like Rain changed the subject like that and then just plain left the room. So I set the coffee pot on to make more and looked through the fridge for something Darry wouldn't mind eating. One of our crazy sandwiches looked out at me from where it sat on a plate and I frowned again. River and I had had a blast making them. The whole night had been a blast. We'd ended up mixing and mingling and just having an all around good time. Then I had lost track of River when she said she was making a trip to the bathroom and the next thing I know J.C. is there breaking up the party and telling us all to get home. Summer had been deposited in my arms and Rain had given Darry his keys before helping Ponyboy into the back seat. The kid could barely walk after all the alcohol he'd gotten into his system. There had been bigger things going on and I was personally glad Darry thought it was better to get us home. I was worried about River, but I knew when I was in the way and when I wouldn't be. I would have been in the way. I'd seen girls who got drugged before and it made me mad as hell, but J.C. seemed to know what he was doing. River had told me once Bran's mother had been a druggie before she got pregnant. He probably knew how to take care of a lot worse.

I was thinking on that and cooking some eggs up the way Darry liked them when he popped into the room looking like he had been through a bad fight himself. I handed him a cup of coffee and he nodded to me before sitting down at the table and enjoying the hot brew. I had breakfast in front of him, but he just looked at it like it had run over his dog or something. I felt for him. No one liked yelling at Ponyboy. But it had to be done and J.C. had let him pull the short straw while he dealt with his own battle.

"You did right, Darry," I told him

"Then why do I feel so awful?" he asked

"Because it hurt you just as much as it did him and me," I told him "And this way y'all won't be quick to repeat the process."

"I don't want to ever have to do that again. He looked like he was going to cry the whole way through and I just kept on yelling at him." He took a long sip of his coffee "I don't want him to hate me because of this, but what else could I do?"

"He won't hate you," I assured him "He'll probably be grateful it was you and not J.C. doing the yelling."

"Like how we used to prefer Dad over Mom when we got in trouble."

I bit my lip, trying not to think about Mom's disappointed look and how much it killed when you were on the receiving end of it. Dad at least just grounded you after a stern talk. All it took was that one look from Mom and it was ten times worse than anything Dad could throw at you.

"Do you think they would have handled that differently?" he asked, not looking up from his cup

"Of course, but you're not them, Darry. You did your best and they know that," I told him, working not to get all choked up

"Thanks, little buddy," he told me with a small smile "Breakfast looks normal. Were you feeling ok?"

I laughed and shook my head. My kid brother had a hangover bigger than the state of Oklahoma, my older brother thought he was doing wrong by Mom and Dad, my guardian was hiding out by his wife's grave, the cousin I did the most with was going to be miserable for a few days, and to top it off, I was grounded for the next two weeks for no reason but I wasn't going to argue and I thought Ponyboy needed the company, along with River and Rain. Strangely, I was feeling ok. Darry and I hadn't had a talk like this since we left Tulsa and I knew Ponyboy and I would be having one of our own once his hangover was gone. I guess it took one out of control party to set everything in your life a little straighter.

"Yeah, I'm feeling just fine. Now, eat your breakfast before it gets cold on you."

Darry smirked at me and took a bite of his bacon and tomato sandwich. I smiled back and for the first time felt like this place could actually be home at some point.

Yeah, everything was going to be just fine, for all of us.

/-/-/-/-/-

Well, another chapter bites the dust. It certainly didn't help me to write this instead of my analysis that's due tomorrow, but I think this was much more fun than anything else I did tonight.

Thankies to all my wonderful reviewers and I really miss not answering the individual review thankies. But I love getting them and I love you guys! Ok….no more mushy stuff…

Any comments at all are welcome and flames are accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens


	11. Old Friends

Well, I got busy last night and here are the fruits of my labor. I borrowed a character for this one and cookies to anyone who knows which 90's TV show Jimmy James is from.

Disclaimer: The usual

/J.C.'s POV/

It was Monday. It seemed like an eternity since Saturday night. And for the first time in days it seemed like life was getting back on track. Bran and I hadn't seen each other in days – which wasn't too out of the ordinary for us – so at least there'd been peace in the house over the weekend. Today the boys were going to school, Summer had playschool, River was going to take the day off and just rest and I was going to work. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't ecstatic about leaving River all alone to her own devices, but I thought she needed a day to herself before I shoved her back into the school population. I admit I had been hovering a lot lately. She hadn't had more than a few hours to herself to get everything sorted out in her head. So I was going to make sure she got it by making myself scarce.

That and I got a call this morning from the office about some hostile takeover of the company that peaked my interest just a bit more than I liked. Apparently Diamond Oil was making the move I had expected them to try for the past five years. And apparently no one at the office had any idea how to handle it, either. So I really had no choice but to leave her at home. Rain had suggested I bundle her up like a babe and take her to the office with me. It was a great suggestion, but I had the feeling I would be a little too busy today to even check in on River more than once or twice every couple hours. And that just wasn't right when you brought a kid into the office. Especially today.

I walked in and it was like stepping out of the eye of the storm. There were employees everywhere. Some carried files, some carried memos and one was even moving a plant. Phones were ringing off the hook, papers were fluttering and skittish people were rushing around like chickens with their heads chopped off. A cool head was definitely needed. Oh to be the boss now that Chaos was here…

I strolled into my office and found it like I did every morning. It was empty. It was peaceful. And it was all mine. I smiled and threw my coat over the back of one of the chairs and glanced at the new Summer collection of drawings and scribbles to brighten my day. They brightened the room tenfold and it was almost like home, except neater and there was a handy dandy button on the phone that would get him coffee. With that thought in mind, I rounded the desk and pushed my favorite button.

"Grace. Coffee."

"Mr. Curtis –"

"And I want it the way I like it. The doc can go to hell."

I took my finger off the button and waited. It was a full five minutes later before a red head walked into the office. She looked wary, like she'd never seen an office before, but she caught sight of the Summer hall of fame wall and smiled slightly. It lit up her face and I wondered how blinding a full smile would be. I noticed she had one of my favorite coffee cups in her hand and the day instantly brightened. She seemed to notice me standing there and blushed a little before making her way over to where I was.

"Where's Grace?" I asked, taking the cup from her tapered fingers

"You gave her the week off so she could go to her cousin's wedding in California," she answered easily "We were supposed to have met yesterday, but you were unavailable. I'm Helen."

I took her outstretched hand and knew I was going to enjoy the next week. She smiled more than she had before and it was beautiful. Soft blue eyes and she looked soft and loving. I found myself looking at her left hand and found no ring before I finally snapped back to reality and let go of her hand. No, I wasn't going there. I was done with women, especially the gorgeous ones. They always left.

"Here are your messages and there is a Mr. James wandering about the building. He wanted to see you the moment you got in," she informed him

"Well, send him in when he does show up," I told her and she smiled, turning for the door "And it was nice to meet you, Helen."

She beamed warmly at me before leaving the room. I smiled back and took a sip of the coffee as the door closed. I suppose the sputter of coffee and the noise I made would pretty well be classified as a gag. I coughed for a minute before setting the coffee down and cursed both Grace and the Doc. I went over to my coat and pulled a red sucker from the coat and decided it would do fine as a stir stick. By the time Jimmy James graced my presence I was seated comfortably behind the desk with my sleeves rolled up to my elbows and the sucker stick handing loosely from my lips. And sweet coffee. That'd show the doc. I set the stick down and smiled warmly at my business partner.

Jimmy James was a financial backer to a lot of different projects. He dabbled in everything from radio stations to oil and he still had more money than he knew what to do with. He was very much the financial figurehead. He'd invested fifteen years ago when I had come across a bit of a problem. In order to expand the business I would need to have a greater capital base. If I didn't expand, I was looking to be bought out within the next few years. That's when Jimmy had made an emergency stop in Houston and just happened to walk into the bar I was having a drink in. We'd been friends and partners ever since. He only made random visits to Houston lately, but his visits were memorable and even involved business sometimes. Once he'd brought a news announcer from New York for absolutely no reason. Jimmy rarely needed a reason. He always had something going on in that head of his but I never had to remind him I was the 62 percent owner and that I held the sway. But he'd never done anything to contest that before. I wondered suddenly why he was here on such a hectic day. His presence was reassuring in a way. I wasn't alone.

"J.C." he greeted

"Jimmy," I replied "How are you?"

"Just fine. I see you're still buying cheap Picasso imitations," he commented, motioning towards the Summer collection

"They were gifts from an adoring fan of mine," I corrected

"My adoring fans generally give me money." He was completely straight faced "And they're usually titled as clients, but that's just nitpicking."

"These are much more useful than money," I assured him "Are you here because of the buy out?"

"Yeah, I guess you heard about that."

"Of course I did, Jimmy. I own this place," I reminded him "Why? Were you hoping I wouldn't hear about it?"

"Of course not," he said in a tone that basically meant I was on the money but I should drop it or he was going to make things drawn out and painful in his denial "Ready for the negotiations?" he asked, leaning a hip on my desk

"There will be no negotiations. I'm not selling and I will not be bought out," I answered him "And I adamantly refuse to be taken over, especially in a hostile fashion."

"Who said anything about selling?" Jimmy asked and I sighed "And that whole hostile thing…. just forget about that."

Yeah. Now things were making sense. It figured that he'd do something dumb like this.

"Jimmy, tell me you didn't."

"Of course I did," Jimmy answered without hesitation "What better way to meet a potential wife than to sit down and negotiate business with her?"

I'd like to mention here that Jimmy James had one constant goal and that was to find a wife. I didn't know if he was lonely or he just wanted a wife for the sake of having one, but he was set on finding a suitable woman. And he was willing to go to very long lengths to do this.

"Wait, so you're telling me that Kate Richards bought out Cope or Masters?" I asked, trying to wrap my head around this

"Yeah. Bought out Masters last week. This is going to be her first big meeting as the head of the company."

Cope and Masters had owned the Diamond Oil Company for at least 10 years. I hadn't thought either of them would bother to sell out, not when they could ride the profits until the day they died. I was surprised I hadn't heard about one of my biggest competitors making such a drastic change to their infrastructure. To be fair I had three nephews recently come to live with me, and this trouble with Corrine and River's incident had me a little distracted. I was going to have to get my head back in the game or I was going to be riding the profits from my office at home while some Neanderthal like Brat was going to be sitting in my chair with his kid's art on the wall.

"I don't even want to think about how much coin that cost her," I told Jimmy and gave my head a shake

"You're better off," Jimmy promised and I nodded

"So the only way you could think to talk to her was by putting my business and my livelihood on the line?" I gave him a stern look and he fiddled with a pen from my desk

"Seemed like the best plan. She's been on my list for a while."

I'll add that as Jimmy has sought for a wife he has made lists of potential ladies all over the country that could fit the bill in a pinch. All of them were known for something and a good deal of them were too smart to get involved with Jimmy James.

"You can't tell me that you don't have other women on your list."

"Nope, but she's in the top ten," he added and held out a piece of paper for my inspection

"I see you narrowed it down again. Only three of these women are my ex-wives," I pointed out

"Makes for an easy set up since I've met them all before," he offered with a shrug

"I know two of these women are married to senators."

"Divorce happens."

"Jimmy," I sighed giving him a stern look "Sister Marie-Frances is not going to give up God and marry you, no matter how much you sponsor her convent."

"Stranger things have happened."

"I still think it's doubtful. And 'That hot chick off Perry Mason last week' is really…please tell me you do not have my oldest daughter on here."

"She's going to be old enough to get married one of these days," Jimmy defended

Yeah, like when she's forty and I've died from some sugar overdose or have a heart attack at the news she's actually ready to get married.

"Jimmy, I have one word for you – unrealistic."

"Alright, J.C. you're the expert on wives. How would you go about it? You've been divorced, what, a dozen times now?"

"I only count three. The rest were the product of alcohol and annulled the next morning," I told him "And I was just plain lucky."

"Well, that's three strokes of luck you have up on me. I need to take initiative. Not all of us can sit on our butts and have pretty women marry us on a whim. I don't know why they do that, though. You're pretty poor," Jimmy pointed out and in relation to him, I was pretty poor

"Well, next time ask me and we'll go to a bar or something and find you a woman. Leave my business out of it."

"Hey, this at least gives me a legitimate reason to get out of New York and come and see you."

Yeah, like he'd ever needed one of those, either. I once had his news director on the phone and apparently they were 900 percent over budget because Jimmy insisted on flying to his house a state over everyday at lunch to play with his dogs. Jimmy had told him flat out to put the private plane's expenditures into the budget. Poor Dave, I think that was his name. He wanted to know how I managed to be partners with the man for so long. I'd smiled and told him you just had to have kids and Jimmy made sense.

"I'm overjoyed, as always. But a heads up on this kind of thing would be appreciated next time."

"You know about it," Jimmy pointed out

"Yeah, a phone call at six in the morning saying the negotiations were at ten was a lot of forewarning."

"When did you get so touchy about this stuff?" Jimmy asked

"When I took in three more kids," I muttered

"What's that make? Eight now?"

"Seven," I corrected

"You are a brave man. If I ever have a little Jimmy to carry on the family I will be leaving the raising of the boy to his mother until he's old enough to appreciate business-like stuff."

"Father of the year," I drawled, moving some papers off the phone "Helen; more coffee, please. Less cream, more sugar than the first cup."

"So, are you coming to the negotiations or are you going to leave it to the master?"

"I'll be coming," I told him

I left my drugged daughter at home to take care of this mess only to find Jimmy was busy playing house. I supposed I'd better go to the meeting or I would most likely be living in a cardboard box with my kids and Darrel's kids in the garage River practically lived in already. That just wasn't acceptable.

"When we get up there, just go with the flow of things," Jimmy advised, "I'll lead the negotiations and you just sit there and look all country-western, like usual."

I raised an eyebrow at him while he played with the name plague on my desk. I did not look country-western. I looked relaxed. I'd even put on good pants today instead of my usual jeans. I'd forgone the boots for black leather shoes and I was wearing a tie before I'd sat down for coffee. So what if my top two buttons were undone and the sleeves were rolled to the elbow? I at least had presence.

"Then what?" I asked

"Well, I'll turn her offer down nicely and invite her for dinner at a restaurant you'll be recommending not that's too rich for you, but you insist is anyways because you're a penny pincher. Then you can go and do whatever the hell you want." Jimmy smiled then – always a bad sign because it proceeded a not so brilliant idea "Hey, go adopt another dozen kids. If you're looking for something more grown up, I'll let you have Mathew."

I gave him a tired look. Mathew was one of his employees who had managed to lock himself in the broom closet after he'd serenaded the office with an hour-long song about elves and other things I lost track of. I'll add that there was and never has been a lock on that closet door, either.

"No? Alright. I'll meet you up there. Right now I've got to make a few calls," Jimmy said as he reached the door

I stared after him for a full minute, wishing I kept a bottle of whiskey in the office for Jimmy James emergencies. I had one for all of Caroline's, but since I no longer had to deal with her, there was no need for booze at the office. I sighed and listened to the chaos outside the office before finally standing.

This day was not going to end soon enough for my liking.

/Ponyboy's POV/

"…So then there was this other chick standing the middle of the road like she belonged there and of course the guy I'm fighting thinks she's with me. So I've got Jimmy standing there yelling for me to pound the guys face in like I'm Captain America or something and now I have to worry about this girl neither of us knows. Turns out she's stranded as well as a Ranger's daughter." Duke smiled a little "So not only did I get a good fight in, but I also managed to go home with the daughter of the man who ended up arresting the guy."

Tom shook his head at where he was hunkered over a Chevy that needed the timing belt replaced. Duke had been telling stories today since Jimmy was sick and wasn't around to talk like there was no tomorrow. Duke didn't have much practice at it and was clearly annoying Tom but he wasn't about to say anything. He left himself to shaking his head and frowning every so often when Duke tried to embellish the story a little more.

"Wrench," Tom ordered holding out his hand for it

I reached down on the towel the tools were spread over and handed it to him. He didn't bother looking away from what he was doing, which was how he always was. It was nice to have someone so abnormal that they were normal hanging around. Kind of like Two-Bit if he would give up speaking.

"Grounded, aren't you, Kid?" Tom asked, tweaking something under the hood

"How'd you know?" I asked, not remembering telling anyone that

"Rain is hanging around looking at the clock like it's his life line," he pointed out " He don't bother unless he has to be home before he gets caught not being there."

I glanced over at where Rain was looking at the clock like it was his lifeline and shrugged.

"It could be worse," I pointed out

"Yeah, misery do love company, don't it," he stated

I nodded. I'd been grounded for under aged drinking, Rain for the same thing, River because J.C. probably figured it was the best way to keep her immobile for a while, and Soda…well, I think he basically got drug down by the rest of us. I had the feeling that if Darry and Brand were younger they would have been joining us, but J.C. said they were adults and it wasn't his place to treat them like kids. I think he got the desired effect out of all of us – none of us were feeling proud to have been at a college party now.

"I've decided I'm not going to get drunk again," I told him

"Good choice, Kid. Now you know."

I nodded. I guess I had done it just to try it, to understand why Two-Bit raved about it. You got dizzy, threw up, and got yelled at while your head hurt. To top it off, I couldn't remember much more than getting sloppy and silly. What if next time I ended up as mean as Johnny's dad? What if I hurt someone bad and ended up putting the same fear Johnny had into someone else? I couldn't do that to anyone. It was better to eliminate the booze.

"Ok, J.C. gets off work in half an hour. He'll be leaving work in ten if nothing comes up," Rain dictated, standing up from the couch "That means we should be moseying back to the car, if you don't mind."

"Kid's going to scheme his way out of his own funeral," Tom muttered, "Make sure you don't run your life like that. There's something to be said for honesty."

I nodded and glanced at where Rain was looking Tom over thoughtfully.

"There's something to be said for thinking, too," he offered, "Even if it does happen to have ulterior purposes."

Tom bent back under the hood and shook his head. "See ya tomorrow, kid. Tell River she's missed."

I nodded and wiped my hands on a rag before following Rain out of the garage. Soda cam loping out behind us a minute later, a smile still on his face from whatever it was Duke had said before he left. It was kind of odd not to have River around. Rain was forced to make the conversation flow and Sodapop was trying, but they had no common ground really. I guess I could have helped, but I really had nothing much to say. Tomorrow everything would be back to normal, though, so it didn't much matter.

When we walked into the house it was pretty quiet. Rain shrugged, unusually quiet incase River was asleep. We all headed down the hall to the living room with our books from school. River was sitting on the couch smiling into the phone. She glanced up in surprise when we walked in and then smiled again.

"Hold on a sec, they just walked in," she told the person on the other end of the line "It's been nice talking with you."

"Who's on the phone, Riv?" Rain asked, plunking down on the couch beside her

"A couple people, actually. They called themselves Steve and Two-Bit and they've been waiting about ten minutes to talk to –"

That's as far as she got before Soda was over the back of the couch and snagging the phone from her.

"Steve?" Soda asked into the phone and a wide smile appeared on his face "Two-Bit!"

"There's another phone in the kitchen," River pointed out and I got the hint pretty quick

I had the phone picked up a minute later.

"…You sure she's your cousin, 'cause she sounds like she's pretty hot," Two-Bit informed Soda

"Yeah, like you would have a chance," Steve put in, obviously on another phone

"Man, it's good to hear your voices," Soda cut in and Two-Bit chuckled

"You should have known we wouldn't let you get away that easily," Two-Bit stated, "I thought she said Pony was home, too?"

"He's listening in on the other phone," Soda informed them and Steve made an annoyed noise

"Hey Ponykid!" Two-Bit yelled

"Hi Two-Bit," I replied with a chuckle

"Man, you sound like you've grown a full foot," Two-Bit stated and Soda chuckled

"He's gotten taller. I think it's all this fresh air," Soda added "There's farmland for miles around. Even have a twenty minute ride to school."

"So you did get stuck out in the middle of nowhere," Two-Bit paused "Steve, we're going to have to go and rescue them."

"We're fine, honest. Not much goes on around here beyond Septemberfest," Soda chuckled

"Don't go making it sound like our lives are glamorous or nothing now," Steve joked

"Hell, been dull here if anything. Some drunk Socs, boring teachers…" Two-Bit trailed off

"He ain't actually kidding. Been so quiet around here you get the feeling in the air that something's brewin' up, but it never seems t' happen," Steve put in

"Dal can't even get picked up for nothing!" Two-Bit nearly shouted "He goes and busts windows along the ribbon, so they hauled in Curly for it."

"And then he went to go and get some obvious stealing done and the whole force was tied up with some kid up in Brumly who was holding his folks hostage for no reason," Steve continued

"Wow," I sighed, "That's strange."

"No, it's boring as hell," Steve corrected "Been so boring here we were thinking we'd actually send that search party."

"Really?" Soda sounded excited for the first time in months

"Sure, we'll get out our map of Oklahoma and find Texas and hit the road," Two-Bit assured him and Steve sighed

"Texas ain't in Oklahoma, Stupid."

"Hey! Darry's home! Darry, Two-Bit and Steve are on the phone!" Soda shouted into it

"You'd think he never talked on the phone before," Steve muttered with a laugh

"Hi guys," Darry offered a minute later, sounding pleased at least

"Hey Superman," Two-Bit greeted "How's Texas?"

"It's not half bad," he admitted "I'm going to school here."

"Damn, good for you Darry," Two-Bit said honestly "So you can introduce us to hot college chicks when we come to visit."

"When'll that be?" Darry asked

"As soon as we can find Texas…" Two-Bit ruffled a few papers "'Paretly you aren't even in Oklahoma anymore."

"No, we're south in Texas," Soda budded in, sounding fainter, like Darry was the one holding the phone between them

"Two-Bit, you can't just pick up and come to Texas," Darry sighed

"And why the hell not?" Steve asked

"Because you have school and we have school. It's too expensive for us to take time off right now," Darry explained

"Killjoy."

"And if you disappear for a week on your mother again she's going to sick the cops on you," Darry added

"It was just one little trip to Vegas…" he trailed off

"And you didn't even make it out of Oklahoma," Steve put in

"How about the holiday?" Soda butted in "We got nothing going on then! Y'all could come and stay for a long time then!"

"Yeah," I put in "Our uncle wouldn't mind. There's even a guest house for people to stay in."

"Free digs?" Steve asked

"Beats the floor." Two-Bit probably shrugged there "Alright, we'll hold off. But there'd better be college chicks when we get there!"

"We'll be seein' y'all," Steve put in

"Bye!" Soda shouted and Two-Bit chuckled

"Nice to know we're missed," Two-Bit put in "Superman, you keep an eye on Ponykid and Soda-cola for us. Don't do nothin' I wouldn't do!"

Soda chuckled while Darry made the goodbyes and then the line was dead. I set the phone down and went into the living room where Soda was grinning like an idiot and Darry looked pleased. I couldn't help the stupid grin on my face, either. They were coming. The holidays couldn't come fast enough.

* * *

Well, a long chapter as my offering for a long break.

Any comments at all are welcome and flames are accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!!!

Tens


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